Dostana

Dostana

Year: 1980

Runtime: 153 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Raj Khosla

Drama

Two close friends set out to serve the law—one joining the police force, the other studying to become a lawyer. Their shared commitment to justice is tested when both develop deep feelings for the same woman, sparking jealousy, conflict, and a strain that threatens to tear their long‑standing friendship apart.

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Timeline & Setting – Dostana (1980)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Dostana (1980). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

Main Characters – Dostana (1980)

Meet the key characters of Dostana (1980), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Vijay Verma (Amitabh Bachchan)

Vijay Verma is a principled police officer who arrests criminals and values integrity above personal gain. To preserve his friendship with Ravi, he hides the truth about his work and refrains from discussing his duties. He makes a painful sacrifice by ending his relationship with Sheetal in a letter, hoping to secure Ravi's happiness, though Ravi never learns its contents. In the clash with Daaga, he stays steadfast and helps restore the balance between law and friendship.

🛡️ Protector 🤝 Loyalty ⚖️ Justice

Ravi Kapoor (Shatrughan Sinha)

Ravi Kapoor is a successful lawyer who defends criminals, often unknowingly working for Daaga. He loves Sheetal and shares a deep but sometimes unspoken bond with Vijay. When the truth about Vijay's sacrifice comes to light, his sense of loyalty drives him to confront Daaga and fight for their friendship, even as he becomes entangled in the underworld's scheming.

🎭 Lawyer 💔 Love Triangle 🕊️ Redemption

Sheetal Sahni (Zeenat Aman)

Sheetal is the woman both men fall for, central to the film's emotional core. Her affection for Vijay and the tension of the triangle test her loyalties and influence the choices of the two friends. She becomes a catalyst whose presence amplifies the conflict between law, love, and crime.

💖 Love 🌀 Triangle 💬 Catalyst

Mr. Daaga (Prem Chopra)

Daaga is a calculating underworld don who engineers a web of manipulation to break the trust between Vijay and Ravi. He frames Vijay for custodial death and toys with their emotions to advance his criminal aims. He plans a dramatic escape with Balwant Singh, only to be pursued by the two men, and is ultimately gunned down by Vijay.

💼 Crime Boss 🧠 Manipulator 🗡️ Villain

Sylvia (Helen)

Sylvia is Daaga’s moll who secretly acts as Tony's sister-in-law and a police informant. She uses her position to aid Vijay and Ravi during the climax, helping to thwart Daaga's plan and bring some order back to the pair's fragile alliance.

🕵️ Informant 🤝 Ally

Tony (Pran Sikand)

Tony is an informant with a tragic backstory: after refusing to aid Daaga's smuggling operation, his family was killed in revenge and his son Johnny was left disabled. He remains loyal to Vijay and Ravi, and despite being fatally shot, he entrusts Johnny's care to Vijay.

🧬 Family 💔 Tragedy 🗝️ Loyalty

Balwant Singh (Amrish Puri)

Balwant Singh is Daaga's man who participates in the escape plan by plane. He is ultimately killed by Daaga as the situation spirals, illustrating the brutal costs of the underworld's schemes.

💣 Underworld ⚔️ Betrayal

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

Major Themes – Dostana (1980)

Explore the central themes of Dostana (1980), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Friendship

Two men maintain a deep bond even as their lives pull them toward opposite sides of the law. The film tests loyalty when personal relationships collide with professional duties. Their friendship is strained by manipulation from Daaga and by the lovers' triangle, forcing hard choices. Ultimately, acts of sacrifice redefine what loyalty means in a world of crime.

⚖️ Duty

Duty pits law enforcement against criminal influence, and the characters must decide whether to protect the system or their own safety and happiness. Vijay and Ravi navigate a moral maze where right and wrong are not always clear. The plot shows how obligation can conflict with personal loyalties, leading to difficult compromises. The resolution hinges on choosing justice over self-interest.

💔 Sacrifice

Sacrifice threads through the narrative as lovers give up relationships for friends and as informants pay with lives. Vijay's choice to end his romance for Ravi's sake embodies the price of friendship. Tony's tragic past and death intensify the cost of collusion between criminals and the protectors of the law. The ending suggests that true heroism sometimes requires letting go.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:42

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Dostana Summary

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Dostana Summary

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Dostana Timeline

More About Dostana

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