Ab Ke Baras

Ab Ke Baras

Year: 2002

Runtime: 169 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Raj Kanwar

FantasyAdventureThrillerRomanceDrama

Anjali Thapar, raised in the US, is haunted by recurring dreams of an Indian temple and sword‑wielding riders. After consulting a pandit, she learns the visions pertain to a past life. Defying her father’s insistence that she marry his chosen man, she runs away to India, where ruthless CBI officer Sikander Baksh is assigned to track her. In India she meets car‑thieves Karan and his uncle, and discovers she was Nandini, the lover of freedom fighter Abhay, whose life was ended by the British‑backed traitor Tejeshwar Singhal.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Ab Ke Baras yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Ab Ke Baras (2002)

Trace every key event in Ab Ke Baras (2002) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Anjali's recurring dreams of a Devi Maa Durga temple and warrior riders

A U.S.-based Anjali Thapar experiences vivid visions of a temple to Devi Maa Durga and a band of sword-wielding riders in India. The dreams feel startlingly real and blur the line between memory and waking life, hinting at a past she is meant to uncover. These visions pull her toward India and set the mystery in motion.

Present day USA (Anjali's home)
2

Pandit suggests the truth lies in India and in her past life

A pandit advises that the answers to Anjali's visions lie in India and in a possible past life. He urges them to seek the country to uncover the hidden history behind her dreams. This guidance deepens the pull toward a journey that blends memory with reality.

Shortly after present day India (temple/pandit's place)
3

Father pressures her to marry; Anjali chooses to flee

Anjali's father pushes for an arranged marriage, forcing her to reject the plan and flee. Her escape triggers a swift pursuit by those loyal to her family. The decision marks a break from her controlled life and ignites the chase that follows.

Immediately after decision Family home
4

Uncle Sikander Baksh closes in on her trail

Sikander Baksh, a ruthless CBI officer, is summoned to track Anjali across borders. His relentless pursuit tightens the net around her, raising the stakes as she runs with possible allies. The chase becomes personal and deeply dangerous.

Following her escape Across India
5

Anjali meets car thieves Karan and his uncle

During the escape, Anjali crosses paths with Karan and his uncle, who survive by car theft. Their encounter shifts her journey from fleeing a police pursuit to joining forces with unlikely partners. The alliance plants the seeds for memories of a remembered life.

On the run City outskirts
6

Remembered past as Nandini and Abhay amid colonial conflict

Anjali's mind flashes to a remembered life as Nandini, lover of freedom fighter Abhay, whose brutal end comes at the hands of a British-backed traitor Tejeshwar Singhal. The past bleeds into the present, informing her choices and intensifying the sense of destiny. The revelation reframes the current danger as a clash with history itself.

Flashback to colonial era Remembered past in India
7

College campus ruse: posing as husband and wife

The fugitive pair stumble into a college campus and pretend to be a married couple. The campus community welcomes them with warmth, dressing them in new clothes and offering hospitality. The moment creates a fragile cover that soon begins to unravel.

Present College campus
8

Rudra Singh's gang captures them and hunts for arms

The illusion of safety dissolves as Rudra Singh's gang takes them hostage, while a stash of illegal arms hidden in a car becomes the prize they hunt. The capture escalates the danger and tightens the grip of those who want something powerful hidden away. The tension rises as time runs short.

Following campus event Campus vicinity to forest/encampment
9

Anjali lures the gang away; Karan wounded by the river

In a bid for freedom, Anjali lures the gang into the forest, insisting Karan run while she buys time. The plan collapses into a brutal skirmish in which Karan takes a grave wound and is left near the river, presumed dead by all but Anjali. The moment marks a devastating turning point in their bond.

Climax of pursuit Forest by the river
10

Anjali imprisoned in a vast villa; she vows Karan is alive

Anjali is dragged to a large villa where Rudra Singh's reach confines her. She proclaims that Karan is alive and will return, sharpening the sense that a reckoning is on the horizon. This confinement heightens the tension as alliances shift.

Immediately after capture A large villa
11

Doctor ties Tejeshwar's past to the present threat

A doctor explains Tejeshwar as a remnant of colonial oppression, whose cruelty was once unleashed by British authority. The revelation reframes the danger as an enduring political and historical feud. Anjali uses this knowledge to sharpen her resolve to confront Tejeshwar.

Midpoint Clinic/hospital or study
12

Rajvir Singhal arrives; hides corruption details

Rajvir Singhal arrives with a cadre and a dangerous charm, aligning with Anjali while concealing his own ruthlessness. He carries information about Tejeshwar's illicit money, which Anjali intends to expose to bring down the corrupt regime. The alliance is morally gray and fraught with peril.

During election campaign Tejeshwar's campaign scene
13

Rajvir attacks; Karan saves; Rajvir dies

At Tejeshwar's celebratory evening, Rajvir launches a violent attack using shards of glass, but Karan intervenes to save Anjali. The ensuing clash ends with Rajvir dead and the family spinning blame toward his uncle for the tragedy. The event unsettles the balance of power around Tejeshwar.

Celebration night Tejeshwar's honor ceremony
14

Tejeshwar abducts Anjali and the protector; helicopter pursuit starts

Following the upheaval, Tejeshwar abducts Anjali and the man who has posed as her protector, sparking a dramatic helicopter pursuit. The sequence pits the fleeing duo against a determined police counterattack and the tyrant's widening grip. The chase sweeps across air and land, escalating toward a final confrontation.

Climactic pursuit Around city to aerial pursuit
15

Tejeshwar falls; freedom is sealed; chains bind lovers

A police operation kills Tejeshwar and his elder son, ending his regime. Sikander Baksh seals the moment with a symbolic freedom order, and he binds the two lovers' hands with the same chains that once restrained them. The gesture unites Karan and Anjali's fates in a shared destiny that transcends the past.

End City/police operation; final scene

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:54

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Past Life Thrillers like Ab Ke Baras

Soulmates from a past life collide with danger in the present.If you liked the blend of historical romance and modern suspense in Ab Ke Baras, explore more movies like it. This list features similar stories of reincarnation, where characters are haunted by past lives, leading to tense chases, tragic love, and the resolution of ancient conflicts in the present day.

romanticsuspensefulhauntingtragicrevenge-drivendreamlikefated

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically unfold across dual timelines, weaving a tragic historical romance with a high-stakes present-day thriller. The protagonist's journey is one of self-discovery and danger, driven by unexplainable visions that lead to a confrontation with a villain whose evil has transcended time. The emotional journey is heavy, balancing the weight of a past tragedy with the urgency of a current chase.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their unique fusion of a deep, fated romance with the pacing and tension of a chase thriller. They share a specific mood—haunting, suspenseful, and romantic—created by the constant interplay between a bittersweet past and a dangerous present.

Desperate Fugitive Dramas like Ab Ke Baras

Characters on the run, haunted by a dark past that fuels their escape.For viewers who enjoyed the high-tension chase and emotional weight of Ab Ke Baras, this list compiles similar movies with characters on the run. These films feature ruthless pursuers, desperate escapes, and deep personal secrets that raise the stakes, delivering a similar vibe of suspense and heavy drama.

tensedesperatesuspensefulrevenge-driventragicon the runcorruption

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist who becomes a fugitive, often unjustly or due to circumstances beyond their control. They are hunted by a powerful, often corrupt antagonist. The plot is propelled by action sequences and narrow escapes, but the emotional core is the gradual revelation of a painful secret from the past that explains the present conflict and deepens the character's motivation.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared high-intensity pacing and tense tone, created by a relentless cat-and-mouse dynamic. The combination of physical danger with the unraveling of a heavy, tragic backstory creates a cohesive experience of desperation and high stakes.

Unlock the Full Story of Ab Ke Baras

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Ab Ke Baras Summary

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Ab Ke Baras Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Ab Ke Baras

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Ab Ke Baras. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Ab Ke Baras

Ab Ke Baras Spoiler-Free Summary

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Ab Ke Baras Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Ab Ke Baras

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