Caravan

Caravan

Year: 1971

Runtime: 154 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Nasir Hussain

MusicAdventureDramaRomance

Sunita, married to the deceitful Rajan, believes he and his lover Monica plan her murder. With no money, she flees to Bangalore by joining a traveling caravan led by Mohan, his sidekick Johnny and brother Monto, crossing gypsies en route. She falls for Mohan, sparking rivalry with Nisha, while Rajan relentlessly pursues her.

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Timeline & Setting – Caravan (1971)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Caravan (1971). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Khandala

Set across multiple Indian locales, the film traverses an industrial milieu in Mumbai and follows a caravan through rural roads to Pune (Poona), Bangalore, and the hill town of Khandala. The Banjaras' mobile camp and market streets provide the backdrop for plots, betrayals, and daring escapes. The story blends urban wealth, street-level grit, and a journey toward vengeance and justice.

🏭 Industrial 🚚 Caravan routes 🏞️ Hill country

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

Main Characters – Caravan (1971)

Meet the key characters of Caravan (1971), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sunita (Asha Parekh)

Heiress to Mohandas’s fortune who, after her father’s murder, fights for justice. To uncover the truth, she adopts the alias Soni and embeds herself within danger, displaying resilience, resourcefulness, and a growing resolve to outwit Rajan. Her journey blends vulnerability with cunning as she navigates love, betrayal, and duty.

💎 Wealth 🧭 Identity 💪 Resilience

Mohan (Jeetendra)

A successful mill owner who becomes Sunita’s protector and ally. He grapples with trust and heartbreak before embracing duty and love, ultimately taking a stand against Rajan. His charisma and stubborn sense of justice drive much of the plot’s progress.

💼 Business ❤️ Love 🛡️ Protector

Monica (Helen)

A cabaret dancer and Rajan’s lover who knows the truth behind the letter. She oscillates between complicity and risk, ultimately using the information to warn others and trigger the final confrontation. Her presence adds glamour, danger, and moral complexity to the plot.

🎭 Performance 💋 Intrigue 🕊️ Sacrifice

Rajan (Kishan Mehta)

The antagonist and embezzler who engineers Mohandas’s murder and Sunita’s supposed fate. He relies on manipulation, fear, and cold calculation, keeping his true crimes hidden until the plot collapses around him. His arrogance is his downfall as the net tightens.

💰 Greed 🗡️ Murder 🧠 Cunning

Nisha (Aruna Irani)

A dancer who captures Mohan’s attention and becomes entangled with Rajan. She is torn between desire and loyalty but ultimately makes a self-sacrificing choice when she takes the bullet to save Sunita and thwart Rajan.

💃 Dance ❤️ Love ⚔️ Courage

Montu (Mehmood Jr.)

A loyal and mischievous Banjaras member who travels with Mohan’s group. He supports Sunita, helps hide her, and even stretches the rules in their caravan’s chaotic world. His quick wit adds relief amid danger.

🚚 Caravan 😂 Humor 🤝 Loyalty

Mithalal Tota (Madan Puri)

A powerful figure connected to the world of performance and trafficking, whose influence smooths obstacles for Rajan. He embodies the opportunistic underbelly of the city’s entertainment and mercantile networks.

🎤 Power 🧭 Influence 🕳️ Scheme

Ratna

A worker at the warehouse who confronts Sunita and gets drawn into the tension around Mohan’s caravan. She represents the ordinary people caught in the crossfire of love, greed, and danger.

🍲 Food 🧱 Labor 🗡️ Tension

Johny (Ravindra Kapoor)

A member of Mohan’s Banjaras circle who helps Sunita by guiding her through the caravan’s network and aiding in the search for truth. His loyalty provides crucial support in the story’s frantic pursuit.

🚚 Support 🗺️ Loyalty 🤝 Ally

Karamchand

A friend of Mohandas who becomes a focal point due to the letter’s significance. His courage and sense of justice help pivot the narrative toward accountability.

🗂️ Secrets 🕊️ Justice

Mohandas

The murdered mill owner whose wealth and trust fuel the plot. His untimely death triggers Sunita’s quest for truth and the unraveling of Rajan’s scheme.

🏛️ Wealth 🗡️ Murder ⚖️ Law

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

Major Themes – Caravan (1971)

Explore the central themes of Caravan (1971), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Deception

Deception drives the plot as Rajan manipulates Sunita and builds a veneer of respectability around his crimes. He murders Mohandas and uses a forged will and lies to pressure Sunita into marriage. Monica's revelation of the unsent letter exposes his embezzlement, yet truth and trust remain fragile until Sunita uncovers the full web of lies. The suspense hinges on who can be trusted as betrayals multiply.

⚖️ Justice

The pursuit of justice threads through the finale as Rajan's crimes unravel and the law closes in. Nisha's sacrifice and Mohan's resolve catalyze the showdown that ends Rajan's schemes. Monica's decision to warn Karamchand helps avert further tragedy and aligns the heroes with the truth. The police ultimately bring the killer to account, tying up the moral loose ends.

🧭 Identity

Sunita's transformation into Soni marks a bold assertion of agency within a restrictive world. She hides in a lorry, travels with the Banjaras, and stages a plan to reach Bombay for the letter, navigating danger and suspicion along the way. The journey across caravan camps, warehouses, and roads becomes a canvas for redefining who she is. By reclaiming her identity, she pursues justice on her own terms.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:35

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Caravan Summary

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Caravan Summary

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