PremiumShah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan set screen on fire with 'Ishq Kameena' 22 years ago; ready to feel nostalgic for Shakti?
Shakti: The Power celebrates 22 years of intense drama, violence, and Karisma Kapoor's gripping performance.
Last Updated: 03.08 PM, Sep 20, 2024
Soon after Josh, Mohabbatein, and Devdas, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan brought the house down with their unforgettable dance number, Ishq Kameena. Can you believe that the song has been out for 22 years? Yes, Krishna Vamsi's 2002 criminal drama Shakti: The Power has completed 22 years of its release today. The film features Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, and Nana Patekar in the lead roles, along with Deepti Naval, Prakash Raj, Anupam Shyam, Ritu Shivpuri, and SRK. If you are planning to revisit Shakti on OTT, the film is available to stream on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium).
Shakti: The Power plot
The original, 1998 film Anthahpuram, which portrayed Betty Mahmoody's life story, served as the inspiration for this new version. Adapted from her eponymous book, the 1991 film Not Without My Daughter dramatizes the true tale of Betty Mahmoody's escape. In the film, Shekhar and Nandini's plan to visit his rural Indian town ancestral house takes a turn for the worse as they become entangled in a feudal gang war and attempt to return to Canada.
In Canada, Nandini (Karisma Kapoor) and her guardian enjoy a carefree life. After Shekhar (Sanjay Kapoor) proposes, they marry on their own. They will soon have a child of their own. One day, Shekhar discovers that his family is under threat in India. Nandini is perplexed because she thought he was an orphan. Shekhar clarifies that he actually came from a very feudal society and fled to Canada because he couldn't stand the communal strife and bloodshed. In order to get a feel for things, they chose to go to India.
When the couple lands in Shekhar's Bihar homeland, they run across his powerful, rustic father, Narasimha (Nana Patekar), who disapproves of Nandini since she isn't traditional enough for his son. As she and her son Raja (Jai Gidwani) observe the household's nonchalant attitude towards violence, Nandini feels uneasy. Narasimha's compassionate wife (Deepti Naval) takes care of Shekhar, Nandini, and Raja. Her wish that they stay in India for Shekhar's birthday celebrations coincides with his murder by Narasimha's enemies. Nandini rushes to save her son Raja when she sees him surrounded by such madness and brutality, but Narasimha stops her. He claims Nandini can abandon her son and flee the community if she feels the need to raise Raja traditionally, so he can get revenge for his father's death. In defiance of this, Nandini and her son make their escape from the residence with the assistance of Narasimha's relatives. In order to escape Narasimha's goons and get on a train to Jaipur, Nandini encounters Jai Singh (Shah Rukh Khan), a drifter and petty thief. In the course of protecting Nandini and her son, Jai kills not only the assailant but also Maharaj (Anupam Shyam), Narasimha's half brother and his right-hand man. When Narasimha has an emotional connection with his grandson Raja, he lets Nandini and the child go, but he stays after them.
Sridevi's comeback plans and vasting changes
Sridevi Productions intended for the movie to be her comeback vehicle, but after learning she was expecting, she had to find a replacement. She signed Karisma Kapoor instead of Kajol, who turned down the part. Fardeen Khan replaced Sanjay Kapoor in the initial cast, and the film's name was Vaapsi.
Karisma Kapoor and Nana Patekar's performances in Shakti: The Power have garnered praise from critics and fans, with many considering the film to be among her finest works. Regardless, it was not a commercial success.