Ajay Devgn made his acting debut with Kuku Kohli’s action romance film Phool Aur Kaante was released on November 22nd, 1991. The film recently clocked 32 years of its release and it makes every born in the 1990s feel old. At the time of its release, the film created a lot of buzz across the nation. Some of the dialogues from the film, its music and Ajay’s entry scene on two bikes have become iconic. The entry scene in particular has reached a certain level of popularity and has been replicated many times by Rohit Shetty.
Apart from Ajay, the film also marked the debut of Madhoo, who is Hema Malini’s niece. Upon release, Phool Aur Kaante turned out to be a major critical and commercial success and garnered many awards. Even after so many years, the film is still fresh in everyone’s mind. On the occasion of its 32nd anniversary, here’s a look at what the star cast of the film has been up to all these years.
Phool Aur Kaante: Then and Now
Ajay Devgn as Ajay Salgaonkar
At the time of Phool Aur Kaante’s release, newbie Ajay Devgn was merely known as action director Veeru Devgn’s son. However, over the years, the actor has cemented his name as one of the most successful and popular actors in Bollywood. In the film, he plays the role of Ajay Salgaonkar who is the only son of a criminal lord. Ajay’s performance was well received when the film came out.
Madhoo as Pooja Salgaonkar
Madhoo made an explosive debut with Phool Aur Kaante where she played the role of Pooja. Her character is married to Ajay and the story revolves around the two. Despite achieving overnight stardom, Madhoo was not able to make it big in Bollywood. After some years of work in films like Roja, Yodha, and Zaalim, she decided to quit the industry and got married. The actress revealed recently that she was unhappy with the work she was getting offered in the 1990s as her role was reduced to a love interest. Currently, Madhoo is enjoying a married life and is also active on social media.
Raza Murad as Shankar Dhanraj
In Phool Aur Kaante, Raza Murad plays the role of Shankar Dhanraj who helps in kidnapping Ajay and Pooja’s baby. Prior to this film, Raza had done a number of films as he started acting in 1972. The actor has been known for mostly portraying villainous characters. After the success of Phool Aur Kaante, he continued to play character roles and villains in a variety of films and television shows.
Anjana Mumtaz as Lakshmi Salgaonkar
Anjana Mumtaz plays the role of Laxmi Salgaonkar, who is Nageshwar Don’s late wife and Ajay’s late mother. Despite having a brief role, she makes an impact. She started her career in the 1970s and starred in a variety of movies like Bandhe Hath, Do Phool, Tridev, and Mahabali Hanuman among others. After Phool Aur Kaante, she continued to appear in films like Dhadkan and Koi Mil Gaya.
Aruna Irani as Professor Batliwala
Aruna Irani plays the role of Professor Batliwala who has several funny scenes with the character of Professor Bihari (played by Jagdeep). Her role and her sense of humor were well received. Irani remains one of the most respected and revered actresses in showbiz. In a career spanning over five decades, the actress has played all kinds of roles and is still actively working.
Apart from the above-mentioned names, several actors from the film have passed away since its release. The name includes Amrish Puri (who played Ajay’s father Nageshwar Salganokar), Satyendra Kapoor (who played the College principal), Goga Kapoor (who played Jagga Dhanraj), and Suresh Chatwal who played Brijlal Tiwari.
Over the years, Phool Aur Kaante has achieved a special place is people’s hearts and still enjoys a strong fan base among the younger generation. Thanks to Devgn’s entry stunt, the film is still remembered across the board. Its music, dialogues and performances are still part of the popular discourse. It’s massive success catapulted Devgn into superstardom, a status which he continues to enjoy to this date.
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