Film

Dushman

Name: Dushman
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: 1998
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Kajol, Ashutosh Rana, Jas Arora, Tanvi Azmi

A 1998 Hindi action thriller about a relentless manhunt for a serial predator. Sanjay Dutt carries this as an ex-soldier drawn back into duty; Kajol plays dual roles in a revenge narrative that mixes cat-and-mouse procedural with vigilante justice. Uneven but committed to its violence and moral urgency in ways that feel specific to its moment.

TMDb rating

2.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a pursuit thriller built on cat-and-mouse tension between a hardened officer and a predator, and you don't mind melodrama stacked on top of the chase.

Skip it if its subject is sexual violence against young women, treated with a pulpy, lurid hand, and at 145 minutes the padding and sentiment will test anyone wanting a lean thriller.

What it asks of you: Expect nearly two and a half hours, a slow build of dread, long stretches of police procedure and family drama, and a tone that stays heavy rather than light.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Chandni Bar2001

A harder, more unflinching take on similar violence and survival. Madhuri Dixit in a role that strips away glamour entirely. Direction by Madhur Bhandarkar that refuses to look away.

But Genuinely difficult to watch. The sexual violence is graphic and not cathartic. Some find it exploitative rather than illuminating.

Rang De Basanti2006

Aamir Khan at his most charismatic, leading a ensemble through a thriller about corruption and justice. Energetic, angry, and actually entertaining—action with purpose and character development.

But The tone swings wildly between comedy and rage. Some scenes feel like they're from different films. The politics can feel preachy.

Kahaani2012

A taut thriller built around Vidya Balan's pregnant woman searching Kolkata for her missing husband. Twists that actually earn themselves. Direction by Sujoy Ghosh that values mystery and momentum.

But The resolution depends on coincidence and a reveal that some find convenient rather than clever. The pacing falters in the second hour.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Dushman

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Chandni Chowk to China2009

Same era's star, same structure of a man training for justice, but this one opts for entertainment value over moral weight—a reminder that the same template can be comedy.

Akshay Kumar but as comedy-action rather than thriller. The same revenge-and-martial-arts DNA but filtered through absurdist humor and slapstick. Dirk Benedict and Andy Dick chewing scenery in Delhi.

But The humor is broad and sometimes offensive. The action scenes play as jokes rather than threats. If you want stakes, this isn't it.

Dil Se..1998

Mani Ratnam's operatic thriller from the same year, equally melodramatic but infinitely more stylish. Shah Rukh Khan as obsessed. The cinematography alone is worth the admission.

But The gender politics are appalling by any standard. Deeply long. Some find it more beautiful than engaging.

Gupt: The Hidden Truth1997

Bobby Deol in a wrongly-accused-man thriller with actual twists and a decent procedural spine. Ajay Devgn as detective. A solid pre-millennium thriller that respects the audience's intelligence.

But The climax monologue explaining everything is tedious. The love story between action sequences feels obligatory.

Hey Ram2000

Kamal Haasan directing himself in a revenge thriller that's really about ideology and obsession. Ambitious and sincere, even when it fails. No one else was making this.

But Wildly overlong and structurally messy. The parallel timelines confuse more than they illuminate. Haasan's performance can feel mannered.

Sarfarosh1999

Aamir Khan and Naseeruddin Shah in a cop-versus-terrorist story that believes in institutional procedure. Well-mounted action sequences. A different kind of hero than Dushman offers.

But Plot is conventional and the emotional beats feel engineered rather than earned. Two-and-a-half hours for a fairly straightforward story.

Peepli Live2010

Both are about systems that fail their people, but this one questions whether cinema—and the heroic man—can fix anything at all. A quiet philosophical challenge to the revenge narrative.

A documentary-style film (partly improvised, shot like a news crew is following the story) about a farmer's suicide threat. Balances tragedy and absurdist humor about media, politics, and helplessness. Aamir Khan produced; Mahmood Farooqui and Nitesh Pandey directed.

But The blend of registers is jarring. Some comedy lands badly alongside real suffering. The ambiguous ending frustrates people wanting resolution.