Mafia (1996 film)

Background

This film is heavily influenced by 1990s Hollywood action films with a common theme of police corruption and a mafia dominating the government, but using a comedic style. The music for the film is by the famous duo Anand-Milind, with lyrics written by Sameer. The film features songs such as "Dil Mera Deewana Dhahdke", "Duniya Nazaray", "Yeh Dil Yeh Paagal Dil" and "Is Ladki Ne Mera". The film premiered on 24 May 1996 and was released by Prathima Films. It has since been released on DVD by Eros Entertainment.

Plot

In India, many illegal activities including supply of firearms and drugs in bulk are executed by an influential and dominant mafia Gawda, who uses his supremacy and power to stop strikes and release convicts from police custody as well. A man named Moosa, with whom Gawda previously worked and thus learnt the ways and means of the underworld, vehemently expresses his animosity towards Gawda for his depraved activities against the society and the nation. Gawda, with the help of his men, burns Moosa’s daughter to death and kills Moosa. The murder of Moosa’s daughter becomes the top and sensational news in newspapers. When DCP Bapat is enquired by Police Commissioner Pawar of the murder of Moosa’s daughter and the extreme growth in the crime rate of the city, Bapat tries to dismiss the matter by saying that everything – prices, population, crime – is increasing, and the law has become inferior in front of ministers and politicians. Pawar cannot take any punitive measure against Bapat because the latter has the backing of ministers and politicians, and above all Gawda.

Cast

Soundtrack

The soundtrack album of the movie, composed by Anand-Milind has a number of striking songs formulated by Sameer and performed by some big-time playback singers of the period, notably Kumar Sanu and a few others. The movie has pleasant tracks; "Dil Mera Deewana Dhadke", being a fine sensual number with analogous beats of percussion instruments. The track is peculiar to steamy numbers presented during that phase of Bollywood, with slow and measured use of instruments, chiefly tabla, as an example, in the song Tip Tip Barsa Paani.