Year: 1996
Runtime: 141 mins
Language: Hindi
Director: Mahesh Bhatt
Dastak (English: Knock) is a 1996 Hindi‑language Indian feature film directed by Mahesh Bhatt. It marks the debut of Sushmita Sen, who stars in the lead role, and includes Mukul Dev in a supporting part. Sharad Kapoor portrays the film’s psychopathic character, adding a tense edge to the story.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Dastak (1996), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
An unsettling genius named Sharad Sule, Sharad S. Kapoor becomes dangerously fixated on Miss Universe, Sushmita Sushmita Sen. His obsession drives him to strike at people close to her, dismantling trust and inviting chaos as a string of killings begins to unfurl. To stop him, ACP Rohit Malhotra Manoj Bajpayee is assigned, providing high-level security for Sushmita and launching a meticulous investigation. The tension ramps up as evidence mounts and the danger feels all too personal for the couple.
During this dangerous cat-and-mouse game, Sushmita grows closer to Rohit, feeling protected and hopeful even as fear lingers. But tragedy returns when Sharad murders Sushmita’s closest friend, a brutal blow that shatters her sense of safety and drives Rohit to redouble his efforts. To lure the killer out, they devise a bold plan: move Sushmita to another country and seed the media with the move so Sharad will follow and be caught.
The plan leads them to Seychelles, where Sharad finally appears and Rohit shoots him, believing the danger is over. After the apparent victory, Sharad seems to be dead, but he proves to be alive and abducts Sushmita, taking her to a remote, isolated island in the Seychelles. There, Sharad reduces her world to fear and control, and Sushmita fights to survive using every trick she can muster. Yet Sharad refuses to listen to any plea for change, clinging to his own pain and choosing harm over healing.
Desperation grows as Sushmita tries to contact Rohit, and she crafts a plan to escape. In a pivotal moment, she writes a plea for help on a speedboat, a signal that Rohit and his team recognize in time to close in on the island. Sharad opens fire, injuring Rohit, and a brutal showdown follows. Rohit survives, but is badly wounded, and a tense struggle ends with Sushmita striking back in self-defense, using an axe to finally end Sharad’s threat.
With the danger behind them, the pair returns to India. Sushmita channels her ordeal into a self-help book dedicated to people who suffer from similar cycles of torment, and she and Rohit begin a quiet, hopeful life together, built on trust, protection, and a renewed sense of safety.
Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:19
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