Dharmatma

About the film

Dharmatma (lit. 'Righteous Soul') is a 1975 Indian Hindi-language thriller film produced and directed by Feroz Khan. The cast includes Khan, Hema Malini, Rekha, Premnath, Imtiaz Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Farida Jalal, Ranjeet, Helen, Madan Puri, Jeevan, Iftekhar, Dara Singh, Satyen Kappu and Sudhir. The music is by Kalyanji Anandji.

It was the first Indian film to be shot in Afghanistan and the film also has scenes featuring Buzkashi, a Central Asian sport on horses, including aerial shots, which in turn won the film's cinematographer, Kamal Bose, the Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer.

Synopsis

Wealthy, powerful, and influential, Seth Dharamdas leads a financially secure life in a palatial bungalow. He is known to help people who are beyond any hope of assistance, and this leads to him being known as "Dharmatma". But Seth Dharamdas does have a number of skeletons in his closet and a parallel life as a gangster and a "Matka king". The only person whom he dislikes and fears is his own son Ranbir.

After a heated argument over Dharmatma's matka business, Ranbir leaves home for Afghanistan, where he stays with his uncle and manages his business. One day in a forest, while riding a horse, he finds a nomad, Jankura, and a woman, Reshma, fighting. He defends Reshma and they fall in love.

Meanwhile, in India, his sister Mona, is all set to marry Kundan, the son of their father's old friend. She writes to Ranbir to attend her wedding and give them his blessings. Ranbir accepts her invitation and arrives at the venue. The wedding commences, and Mona departs after the ceremony. While in the car, she gives her husband a steel ring with "I Love You" inscribed on it.

Soundtrack

Kalyanji Anandji composed all the songs of Dharmatma. This was their second collaboration with Feroz Khan after Apradh. Indeevar penned the lyrics. The music of the film had a fusion of Afghani music and Western music. The songs of the film became superhits.

Key details