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Kaante Official Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sanjay Gupta (director)
Produced by Pritish Nandy Communications
Film Club Limited
Larry Mortoff
Sanjay Sippy
Written by Sanjay Gupta
Starring Amitabh Bachchan
Sanjay Dutt
Sunil Shetty
Mahesh Manjrekar
Lucky Ali
Kumar Gaurav
Malaika Arora
Namrata Singh Gujral
Rati Agnihotri
Isha Koppikar
Narrated by Lucky Ali
Music by Anand Raj Anand
Lucky Ali
Cinematography Kurt Brabbee
Edited by Bunty Nagi
Distributed by White Feather Films
Release date(s) 20 December 2002
Running time 152 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget INR20 million (US$336,000.00)[1]
Box office INR320 million (US$5.4 million)[2]

Kaante (Hindi: कांटे, English: Thorns) is a 2002 Bollywood action film directed by Sanjay Gupta and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Lucky Ali, Kumar Gaurav, Namrata Singh Gujral, Rati Agnihotri, Malaika Arora and Isha Koppikar in the lead roles. The film's central plot is based on Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, and also borrows plot points from The Usual Suspects and Heat. However, Tarantino has been quoted as saying that Kaante is his favourite among the many rip-offs of his film.[3]


The movie is narrated by (Lucky Ali), as Mak. The six main characters are detained by the LAPD, and interrogated about stealing a truck full of laptops and its whereabouts. All six are detained for about a day, where their deep antipathy towards the police department, for arresting them without any apparent evidence against all of them, and just because the witnesses had seen a South Asian at work, grows into a daring plot. Sparked by "Major Sudhir" and blown up by "Ajju", who asks them to meet him in his club, they all hatch a plan to rob the bank in which holds the payroll for the LAPD. In return, Ajju reveals that he was the truck stealer and splits the money with all. Everyone goes about their normal life after that, in which it is revealed the personal troubles all face. Marc is a bouncer who hates the way his lover, a club-dancer, has to live and decides to rescue her from the club owner Cyrus, by paying him the required money.

Ajju is a club owner who is facing his own problems handling the club and has to lease it out. He also has an ongoing spat with Marc about his girlfriend. Major has a sick wife who he has to look after by supplying her with medicine and injections. Andy is a young, intelligent, software engineer who is having problems with his job and is in the middle of a divorce and custody dispute with his wife. Major knows that Andy is the most important member of the group as he is the only one who can hack the bank's computer system. Mak and Bali are two drug-peddlers who live off the street selling and buying illicit drugs for a drug lord. They first meet when Bali is being chased by some undercover policemen and meets Mak in alley where he is adjusting something in his car. He agrees to save him only if he splits his loot. They agree to work as partners on those terms from then on.

The six characters meet on a hotel rooftop where they construct their plan and arrange for arms, ammunition, vehicles and gadgets. They do some reconnaissance around the bank and two days before the robbery, Major calls up everyone to surprise them, telling them the robbery is to take place the next day. On the day of the robbery, they meet unexpected visitors in a SWAT team waiting for them outside the bank. They are engaged in gunfight during which Mak takes a bullet for Major. They all escape and meet at their hideout, however, they realise that someone might have betrayed them to police and realise that the police might know about their hideout as well. Mak, who was hit, is not allowed to be taken to the hospital, and Major treats his wound with some alcohol. They all have verbal scuffle after which, Ajju, reveals he had kidnapped the Police Chief. They interrogate him and get to know that one among them, was an undercover cop. This strikes terror among them and they all decide to bring the whole stolen amount to their hideout. On the process, they meet a number of surprises. Major finds out that his wife had died. Ajju befriends Marc and tells him to elope with his girlfriend. Marc finds out that Ajju was feigning his inability to speak English. When they return, they find Bali dead, killed by Mak because Bali was being inhuman in his interrogation of the Police Chief. Ajju realises Mak to be the informer. Major defends Mak because he saved him during the gunfight at the bank. They all arrive at a Mexican stand-off, with Andy as the viewer. He retreats and runs away with the bags. They all kill each other, during which Major apologises to Mak, for not saving him. In reply, Mak apologises saying he was just doing his duty. Major realises his mistake and shoots the already dying Mak in the head. Marc's girlfriend is shown waiting for him at the airport and Andy is shown at the end driving off the highway pursued by a Police helicopter. It is ascertained that he also died as all of them are, narrated by Mak, to have met in hell.



The film was to star Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Kumar Gaurav, Shilpa Shetty and Lisa Ray initially.[4] Akshaye Khanna opted out of the project subsequently and was replaced by Lucky Ali,[5] while Malaika Arora stepped in Lisa Ray's shoes[6] and Namrata Singh Gujral was cast opposite Kumar Gaurav in lieu of Shilpa Shetty.[7]

The character of Renu Mathur (played by Namrata Singh Gujral) was the only role cast in Hollywood from the entire principal cast. All other principals including Amitabh Bachchan were flown in from Mumbai for the Hollywood shoot.[8]

The film was the first Bollywood film to be completely shot in Los Angeles.[9] The film's production team used Hollywood technicians.[9] The filming was completed in 31 days.[1] Rohit Roy (from Shootout at Lokhandwala and a popular television actor) makes an appearance in the song "Ishq Samandar".[10]


The music is composed by Lucky Ali, Anand Raj Anand and Vishal-Shekhar. Lyrics are penned by Dev Kohli, Lucky Ali and Vishal Dadlani.

Track listing[edit]

No. Title Music Singer(s) Length
1. "Baby Baby"   Anand Raj Anand Sunidhi Chauhan  
2. "Chhod Na Re"   Vishal-Shekhar Udit Narayan, Sanjay Dutt, Sudesh Bhosle, Mahesh Manjrekar  
3. "Dil Kya Kare"   Anand Raj Anand Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar Sanu  
4. "Ishq Samundar"   Anand Raj Anand Sunidhi Chauhan, Anand Raj Anand  
5. "Maahi Ve"   Anand Raj Anand Sukhwinder Singh, Richa Sharma  
6. "Maut"   Lucky Ali Lucky Ali  
7. "Rama Re"   Anand Raj Anand Sanjay Dutt, Shaan, Zubeen Garg, Anand Raj Anand, Sudesh Bhosle  
8. "Socha Nahin Tha"   Anand Raj Anand Shaan, Zubeen Garg  
9. "Yaar Maangiyasi"   Anand Raj Anand Sonu Nigam  


  1. ^ a b "Kaante director is critical after Expressway mishap". Express India. 28 December 2002. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  2. ^ "Box Office 2002". Boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  3. ^ Bardwaj, Rangan. "Lights, Camera, Conversation – Wrought from Steal". The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-08-03. 
  4. ^ "Who is the surprise package of Kaante?". Rediff. 27 July 2002. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  5. ^ Subhash K Jha (3 April 2002). "A time to kill". Rediff. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  6. ^ "Malaika in Kaante". Rediff. 8 October 2001. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  7. ^ Arti R (18 December 2002). "'Indian cinema is getting global'". Rediff. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  8. ^ Kehr, Dave (20 December 2002). "Kaante (2002): Film Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  9. ^ a b "Kaante: A special". Rediff. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 
  10. ^ "Kaante: Complete Cast and Crew details". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 2011-07-22. 

External links[edit]