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Kalank
2019 Indian Hindi film by Abhishek Varman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kalank (pronounced [kəˈləŋk]; lit. Blemish or Stigma) is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language period romantic drama film directed by Abhishek Varman and produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, and Apoorva Mehta under Dharma Productions and Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, with Fox Star Studios serving as presenter and distributor. Set in the pre-independence British era of the 1940s, the film features an Ensemble cast including Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha, Madhuri Dixit, and Sanjay Dutt.[7][8][9] The narrative explores themes of love, loss, and societal judgment against the backdrop of political unrest in Lahore.
Principal photography took place across India, with elaborate sets and period-specific detailing. The film's music was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya and background score by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara.
Released theatrically on 17 April 2019 across 5,300 screens worldwide, Kalank became the widest Bollywood release of the year.[3][10] Despite a strong opening, the film underperformed commercially, grossing ₹146.31 crore worldwide and emerging as a box-office disappointment, although it recovered its production costs.[6][11] Critical reception was mixed, with praise directed towards its soundtrack, production design, costumes, and performances—particularly those of Dixit and Bhatt—but criticism centered on its screenplay, direction, and length.[12]
At the 65th Filmfare Awards, Kalank received seven nominations, including Best Supporting Actress (Dixit) and Best Music Director (Pritam), winning two: Best Male Playback Singer (Arijit Singh for "Kalank") and Best Choreography (Remo D'Souza for "Ghar More Pardesiya").
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Plot
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Satya Chaudhry, diagnosed with terminal cancer, returns to her ancestral home in Rajputana and urges Roop, a young woman from a modest background, to provide companionship to her husband, Dev Chaudhry, a liberal newspaper publisher. Roop initially refuses, deeming the request inappropriate despite her family’s past debts to Satya. Eventually, persuaded by her father, Dharampal, Roop agrees—on the condition that she marry Dev. Satya consents.
After their marriage, Dev makes it clear that he remains devoted to Satya and proposes a platonic relationship with Roop. Isolated and dejected, Roop seeks solace in music, learning from the courtesan Bahaar Begum in the red-light district of Heera Mandi. She also begins assisting at Dev’s publishing house and shows interest in writing about the social realities of the area. During her visits, she meets Zafar, a charismatic but embittered blacksmith.
Zafar, the illegitimate son of Bahaar Begum and Balraj Chaudhry—Dev’s father—seeks vengeance Dev, for his abandonment. Aware of Roop’s connection to the Chaudhrys, Zafar aims to seduce her to disgrace Balraj. Unaware of his motives, Roop falls in love with him. Meanwhile, her growing rapport with Dev brings Satya bittersweet satisfaction. Before dying, Satya urges Dev to embrace Roop and forgive Balraj.
Zafar manipulates his radical friend Abdul Khan into stoking communal tensions, advocating for partition along religious lines—an ideology opposed by Dev and Balraj. When Balraj discovers Roop’s affair, he confronts Zafar and Bahaar, who disapproves of her son’s actions and warns Roop about his true intentions. Heartbroken, Roop consummates her marriage with Dev but confesses she cannot love him.
As riots erupt across the city, the Chaudhrys attempt to flee to Amritsar with Zafar's help. During the chaos, their loyal maid Saroj is killed. Zafar confesses that his feelings for Roop eventually turned genuine. While aiding their escape, he is fatally stabbed by Abdul, allowing Roop and Dev to board the train.
A decade later, Roop and Dev recount their story to a journalist chronicling the Partition. The film concludes with Roop reflecting on her past, noting that while both love and hatred are colored in red, it is love that bears the deepest stigma.
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Cast
- Varun Dhawan as Zafar, Bahaar and Balraj's illegitimate son; Dev's half-brother; Roop's love interest; Lajjo's love interest
- Alia Bhatt as Roop Sami Chaudhry, Dharampal's daughter; Satya's friend; Balraj's second daughter-in-law; Dev's second wife; Bahaar's student
- Aditya Roy Kapur as Dev Chaudhry, Balraj's son; Satya and Roop's husband; Zafar's half-brother
- Sonakshi Sinha as Satya Chaudhry, Balraj's first daughter-in-law; Dev's first wife; Roop's friend
- Madhuri Dixit as Bahaar Begum, Balraj's former love interest; Zafar's mother; Roop's teacher
- Sanjay Dutt as Balraj Chaudhry, Bahaar's former love interest; Dev and Zafar's father; Satya and Roop's father-in-law
- Kiara Advani as Lajjo, Zafar's love interest; Bahaar's student
- Kunal Khemu as Abdul Khan, Zafar's friend
- Achint Kaur as Saroj, the Chaudhry family's housekeeper
- Pawan Chopra as Dharampal Sami, Roop's father; Dev's father-in-law
- Hiten Tejwani as Abbas Ahmed Razi, Dev's colleague[13]
- Pavail Gulati as Aditya Khanna, a journalist who interviews and documents Roop's life story (special appearance)
- Kriti Sanon as a dancer in the song "Aira Gaira" (special appearance)[14]
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Production
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Development
Kalank was conceptualized by Karan Johar and his father Yash Johar nearly 15 years prior to its release.[15] The role of Bahaar Begum was originally intended for Sridevi, but following her death in 2018, Madhuri Dixit was cast in her place.[16][17] Amrita Mahal was appointed as production designer, tasked with recreating an Old Delhi neighborhood, including a palace set constructed in Film City, Mumbai, at an estimated cost of ₹15 crore.[18][19] The film marked the reunion of producer Sajid Nadiadwala and actor Sanjay Dutt after Andolan (1995).[20]
Filming
Principal photography began on 18 April 2018 at Film City, Mumbai.[21] Madhuri Dixit and Aditya Roy Kapur joined the shoot from 31 May.[22][23] An introductory song featuring Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, and Kiara Advani with around 500 background dancers was filmed earlier in May.[24] Rehearsals for another dance number with Dhawan, Kapur, and Kriti Sanon also commenced in late May.[25] Leaked stills in early June showed Dixit in traditional attire, including an anarkali and jhumar.[26] Sonakshi Sinha began filming on 14 June for a 15-day schedule; she is paired with Kapur in the film.[27][28][29] Injuries to Bhatt, Dhawan, and Kapur delayed the third schedule, which was rescheduled and eventually resumed.[30][31] Bhatt announced the completion of filming on 19 January 2019.[32]
The film’s budget has been variously reported. Officially, producers stated a budget of ₹150 crore, inclusive of print and advertising costs.[33][34][35] Other sources estimated the core production budget to be around ₹80 crore.[36][37]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Kalank was composed by Pritam, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. It was released by Zee Music Company on 22 March 2019.
The first single, "Ghar More Pardesiya," was released on 18 March 2019, followed by "First Class" on 22 March. The title track, "Kalank," was released on 30 March. Two more singles, "Tabaah Ho Gaye" and "Aira Gaira," were released on 9 April and 13 April, respectively.[38]
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Release
Theatrical
Kalank was initially scheduled for release on 19 April 2019 but was advanced to 17 April 2019 to capitalize on the extended weekend.[3] A special screening was held for select audiences on 14 April.[39] The film was certified by the British Board of Film Classification and the Australian Classification Board with a runtime of 166 minutes. It was released worldwide on 17 April 2019 across 5,300 screens, making it the widest Indian release of the year.[40][10]
Home video
The film became available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in July 2019.[41]
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Reception
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Box office
Kalank opened to strong initial numbers, earning ₹21.60 crore on its first day, making it the highest opening day collection for a Bollywood film in 2019 at the time.[42] However, it was unable to sustain its momentum in subsequent days. The film eventually grossed ₹95.65 crore in India and ₹50.66 crore in overseas markets, for a worldwide total of ₹146.31 crore.[6][43] Despite recovering its production costs, the film was ultimately declared a box-office failure due to high expectations and declining audience turnout after the initial days.[11]
Critical response
Kalank received mixed reviews from critics. While its visual aesthetics—including cinematography, production design, costume work, and music—were widely praised, the film drew criticism for its screenplay, direction, pacing, and narrative depth.
Rachit Gupta of The Times of India awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, calling it “a true labour of love” and commending its visual appeal and strong performances.[44] Anupama Chopra of Film Companion also rated it 3 out of 5, describing it as “an operatic fantasy” and “visually stunning,” though requiring suspension of disbelief.[45]
Raja Sen writing for Hindustan Times gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, praising Madhuri Dixit, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan's performances but labeling the film “stunning, but soulless.”[46] Taran Adarsh rated it 2 out of 5, calling the film disappointing despite its strong cast.[47] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave it 1.5 stars out of 5, criticizing the film for being overly staged and emotionally inert.[48]
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV appreciated the film’s themes of love and reconciliation and praised Bhatt and Dixit's screen presence.[49] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in felt the film’s elaborate sets and visual grandeur created emotional distance, ultimately detracting from the story's intended impact.[50]
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Accolades
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References
External links
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