Year: 1998
Runtime: 179 mins
Language: Hindi
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
After her forest‑officer father is brutally killed by the feared dacoit Jageera, Sandhya turns to retired Colonel Krishnakant Puri for help. Puri gathers a dozen former officers and they head to Devdurg, unaware that Jageera controls the local police and will block any weapons. Undeterred, they win the villagers’ trust, but the townsfolk don’t know the men were dishonourably discharged for cowardice. As tensions rise, Puri and his team must decide whether to stay and confront Jageera or abandon the fight, risking the return of his tyrannical rule.
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After a dishonourable discharge from the Indian Army, Colonel Krishnakant Puri Om Puri and ten men from his unit fight a long, uphill battle in civil courts for 17 years, only to hear a final verdict that remains hostile to them. Frustration boils over and Krishnakant contemplates ending his life, but a young woman named Sandhya Mamta Kulkarni arrives at his door with a plea that refuses to fade away. She has witnessed the brutal murder of her father, Forest Officer Sunder Rajan Girish Karnad, killed by the dreaded dacoit Jageera, and she seeks Krishnakant’s help to bring an end to Jageera’s reign of terror in the Devdurg region.
Moved by her resolve, Krishnakant agrees and calls together his fellow disgraced officers to Devdurg, arming them with the ammunition and weapons they were denied for so long. The local police, under the influence of Jageera, try to block them from possessing arms, but the former soldiers press on, drawing the faith and support of the villagers who begin to see these men as capable protectors again. In the village, the men gradually rebuild their confidence and purpose, forging a new bond as they prepare to confront a formidable foe.
When they finally clash with Jageera and his gang, the team discovers they are not as sharp as they once were; age has dulled some instincts, and their bodies are not what they used to be in battle. With Krishnakant’s blessing, Major Gurung Danny Denzongpa takes charge of retraining them, rekindling a disciplined, combative mindset and a renewed sense of camaraderie. The training is relentless, but it’s a turning point that begins to restore their former edge.
The charged confrontation comes soon after, and for a time Jageera manages to trap them with the aid of the corrupt inspector Barot Paresh Rawal. Yet the tenacity of Krishnakant and his team prevails, and they manage to capture Jageera themselves. However, internal politics intrude: Colonel Kewal Krishan Puri Amrish Puri and a contingent of officers intend to kill Jageera, and Krishnakant, in a difficult decision, hands him over to Barot. That misstep allows Jageera to slip away, and he returns the favor by killing Maj. Sarfaraz Khan Naseeruddin Shah, a blow that steels Krishnakant’s resolve and fuels a deeper, more personal vendetta.
With Sarfaraz’s death weighing heavily, Krishnakant redoubles his efforts, rallying the villagers and his fellow officers to pursue Jageera with renewed urgency. He learns that Sandhya and many residents are being held hostage by the tyrant, and in a crucial moment, Udit Samir Soni manages to rescue her, signaling a turning point in the mission. What follows is a brutal, decisive showdown in which the united soldiers, backed by a determined village, confront Jageera and ultimately kill him to end his terror once and for all.
In the aftermath, the surviving team is publicly felicitated by Brigadier Anoop Kumar, whose pride underscores a broader message: these men, once court-martialed and dismissed, have earned respect again through courage, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to protect those who cannot defend themselves. With the mission accomplished and morale restored, the team sets out toward their next assignment, ready for another challenge, while Udit’s life also moves forward as he becomes Sandhya’s husband and follows in his father’s footsteps by joining the Army.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:23
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