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{{about|the 1997 movie|the village in Bangladesh|Koyla Union}}
{{short description|1997 film by Rakesh Roshan}}
{{short description|1997 film by Rakesh Roshan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| location = India
| name          = Koyla
| name          = Koyla
| image          = Koyla.jpg
| image          = Koyla.jpg
| caption        = DVD Cover
| caption        = Poster
| director      = [[Rakesh Roshan]]
| director      = [[Rakesh Roshan]]
| producer      = Rakesh Roshan
| producer      = Rakesh Roshan
| writer        = Anwar Khan (dialogues)
| writer        = Anwar Khan (dialogues)
| screenplay    = Ravi Kapoor<br>[[Sachin Bhowmick]]
| screenplay    = Ravi Kapoor<br />[[Sachin Bhowmick]]
| story          = Rakesh Roshan
| story          = Rakesh Roshan
| starring      = [[Shah Rukh Khan]]<br>[[Madhuri Dixit]]<br>[[Amrish Puri]]
| starring      = [[Shah Rukh Khan]]<br />[[Madhuri Dixit]]<br />[[Amrish Puri]]
| music          = [[Rajesh Roshan]]
| music          = [[Rajesh Roshan]]
| cinematography = Sameer Arya
| cinematography = Sameer Arya
| editing        = Sanjay Verma
| editing        = [[Sanjay Verma]]
| studio        = Filmkraft Productions Pvt. Ltd.
| studio        = Filmkraft Productions Pvt. Ltd.
| distributor    = [[Yash Raj Films]]<br>[[Sony Pictures]]
| distributor    = [[Yash Raj Films]]<br />[[Sony Pictures]]
| released      = {{Film date|df=yes|1997|04|18|India}}
| released      = {{Film date|df=yes|1997|04|18|India}}
| runtime        = 167 minutes
| runtime        = 167 minutes
| country        = India
| country        = India
| language      = Hindi
| language      = Hindi
| budget        = {{Estimation}} {{INR|12 [[crore]]}}<ref name="BOI financials">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2690|title=Koyla - Movie - Box Office India|website=www.boxofficeindia.com}}</ref>{{better|reason=Box Office India includes print and advertising costs in their budget figures, out of step with all other periodicals across the globe. Budget is cost of production, excluding advertising.|date=April 2020}} {{small|(Note: figure contains print and advertising costs)}}
| budget        = {{Estimation}} {{INR|12 crore}}<ref name="BOI financials">{{Cite web |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2690 |title=Box Office India – Movie Financials |website=BoxOfficeIndia.com |access-date=5 June 2025}}</ref>
| gross          = {{Estimation}} {{INR|28.5 crore}}<ref name="BOI financials" />
| gross          = {{Estimation}} {{INR|28.05 crore}}<ref name="BOI financials" />
}}
}}


'''''Koyla''''' ({{Translation}} Coal) is a 1997 [[India]]n [[Hindi]]-language [[action thriller]] film directed, co-written and produced by [[Rakesh Roshan]], which stars [[Shah Rukh Khan]], [[Madhuri Dixit]] and [[Amrish Puri]], [[Johnny Lever]], [[Ashok Saraf]], [[Salim Ghouse]], [[Deepshikha]] and [[Himani Shivpuri]] in supporting roles. [[Mohnish Bahl]] makes a special appearance. The film was released worldwide on 18 April 1997 and was declared an average at the box office, grossing over {{INR}}28.5 crore worldwide against a budget of {{INR}}11.90 crore. Critics praised the action sequences performed by Khan, and it emerged as the 8th most successful film of 1997 in India. Some scenes of the film were shot in [[Tawang]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]].
'''''Koyla''''' ({{Translation}} Coal) is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language [[action film|action thriller film]] directed, co-written and produced by [[Rakesh Roshan]] starring [[Shah Rukh Khan]], [[Madhuri Dixit]] and [[Amrish Puri]] in lead roles with [[Johnny Lever]], [[Ashok Saraf]], [[Salim Ghouse]], [[Deepshikha Nagpal]], and [[Himani Shivpuri]] in supporting roles. [[Mohnish Bahl]] makes a special appearance. The film was released worldwide on 18 April 1997 and declared an average grosser at the box office, earning over {{INR}}28.05 crore worldwide against a budget of {{INR}}11.90 crore. Koyla emerged as the 8th most successful film of 1997 in India. Critics praised the action sequences performed by Khan. The film also earned Amrish Puri a [[Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role|Best Villain]] nomination at the [[43rd Filmfare Awards]]. Some scenes were shot in [[Tawang]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]]. This is the third and final collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Rakesh Roshan.


==Plot==
==Plot==
{{plot|date=September 2020}}
Handsome but mute, Shankar is raised by the powerful Raja, to whom he is loyal. Raja treats him like a slave ,though. Raja's brother Brijwa, a violent psychopath habitually beats Shankar.  
<!--Note: Per WP:FILMPLOT, this section should be 400-700 words long. Lengthy summaries may present serious copyright concerns as "derivative works". Please keep the length under 700 words. See Wikipedia:FAQ/Copyright#Derivative_works-->
Handsome but mute, Shankar is raised by the powerful Raja, to whom he is loyal. But he treats him like a slave. Shankar is also unnecessarily beaten by Raja's brother Brijwa, a violent [[psychopath]]. Ruthless and cruel man with a large appetite for young women, Raja kills anyone who dares to defy him.


Raja sees Gauri, a happy innocent villager, and wishes to marry her. However, she wants to see a photo of her future husband first. Aware that she would instantly reject him, he sends her a photo of Shankar. Gauri instantly agrees, and the wedding proceeds.
A ruthless man with a large appetite for young women, Raja kills anyone who dares to defy him. When Raja sees Gauri, a pretty and innocent villager, he decides to marry her and sends her a photo of Shankar so that Gauri will agree to marry.


However, before the ceremony is completed, she discovers that Shankar isn't her groom and faints; Raja orders the priest to continue, though the marriage would be invalid while Gauri is unconscious.
During the wedding ceremony, Gauri discovers that Shankar isn't her groom and faints. Raja however orders the priest to continue. When she regains consciousness, Gauri is shocked to see Raja trying to consummate their marriage. When she resists, Raja imprisons her and tortures her.
When she regains consciousness, she sees Raja trying to [[consummate]] with her and is shocked knowing they're married. He imprisons and tortures her.


Gauri tries to commit suicide but Shankar saves her. She accuses him of ruining her life but upon knowing his innocence, she is sorry. When Gauri's brother Ashok comes to see her, Raja threatens her to lie to him that she is happy otherwise he will kill Ashok. Gauri does so.
Gauri tries to commit suicide, but Shankar saves her. She accuses him of ruining her life, but soon realizes he is innocent. When Gauri's brother Ashok visits them, Raja forces Gauri to lie that she is happy.


However, Shankar reveals the truth to Ashok by writing in the dirt. Raja and Brijwa kill Ashok who returned to rescue Gauri. Moments before dying, he has Shankar promise him to save Gauri; she and Shankar flee Raja's mansion.
Shankar reveals the truth to Ashok by writing in the dirt that Raja and Brijwa kill Ashok when he tries to rescue his sister.  
Enraged, Raja begins a murderous search to find Gauri and Shankar.
Ashok makes Shankar promise that he will save Gauri and dies.
Gauri and Shankar flee Raja's mansion. Enraged, Raja sets a search in motion with the help of a corrupt DIG. After a long chase through the jungle and mountains, Shankar kills Raja's men. Gauri and Shankar begin to fall in love. Raja captures them by shooting Gauri in the arm.
Shankar is brutally beaten by Brijwa and the corrupt DIG, and Raja slits his throat, leaving him to die in the mountains.


After a long chase by jungle and mountains, Shankar uses his survival skills to kill Raja's men. Raja and his men leave due to being disadvantaged. During this, Gauri and Shankar begin to fall in love. Unexpectedly, Raja who is back with reinforcements sees and captures them by shooting Gauri in the arm.
Gauri is sold to a brothel after Raja discovers she loves Shankar. There, Bindiya, Raja's former lover, who was disowned by him after she too fell for Shankar, saves Gauri. Brijwa, at his brother's orders, humiliates Bindiya in public and stabs her.  


Shankar is brutally beaten by Brijwa, and the corrupt DIG, and Raja slits his throat, then leaves him to die in the mountains; and Gauri is sold to a brothel after Raja discovers she loves Shankar. There, Bindya saves Gauri from what had been done to her, and in the process, she eventually gets killed by Brijwa. Shankar is found and saved by a village boy who brings him to and his grandfather (a healer), who operates on his throat while he is still unconscious. The healer, who discovers that Shankar is not mute by birth, is able to repair some of the damaged nerves in Shankar's throat, enabling him to speak.
Shankar is saved by a village boy who brings him to his grandfather (a healer), who operates on his throat while he is still unconscious. The healer, who discovers that Shankar is not mute by birth, is able to repair some of the damaged nerves in Shankar's throat, enabling him to speak. While recovering, Shankar recalls that when he was a boy, his father discovered diamonds in the coal mine, and then his parents were murdered by two mysterious men. When young Shankar threatened to tell the news to family friends, someone shoved hot coals into his throat, rendering him mute.  


While recovering, Shankar recalls that when he was a boy, his father discovered diamonds in the coal mine, however, he and his wife were murdered in front of Shankar by two mysterious men; when young Shankar threatened to tell his parents' colleagues what they did, someone came up from behind him and shoved hot coals into his throat, rendering him mute. Raja, who had known Shankar's parents, ordered the police to kill those men, but unknown to everyone, Shankar included, the police led by the DIG only pretended to kill the men while Raja adopted Shankar. Shankar recovers and returns, first, he fights and kills Brijwa and is reunited with Gauri after rescuing her from the same men that killed his parents, and bought Gauri from the brothel, killing one of the men in the process. Simultaneously, Shankar discovers that Raja was the person who made him mute and who ordered his parents to be killed so he could steal their wealth.
Shankar returns to the mansion and kills Brijwa. He rescues Gauri from the same men who had killed his parents, killing one of them in the process. Shankar discovers that Raja was responsible for making him mute and ordering his parents to be killed so he could steal their wealth. He reunites with Raja's doctor and son and, with their help, kills Raja's henchman and reveals Raja's crimes to the coal miners.  


With Gauri's help, he kills Raja's other henchman and then reveals the crimes of Raja to Raja's coal miners, at which Gauri arrives with her uncle and aunt forcing them to admit their involvement in making her marry Raja. Raja's doctor and his son turn against Raja, notifying everyone that Raja not only deceived Gauri but has been responsible for numerous killings as well as rapes before ordering everyone to throw rocks at him and his men. In the chaos, the DIG scares everyone away by throwing grenades but is killed by Shankar, who then chases and finally manages to fight and corner Raja, who begs for his life, trying to give Shankar reasons for why he should live by pointing out that he adopted him and saved his life, but Shankar disregards this by counterpointing that Raja had adopted him to make him a slave and after dodging a pickaxe thrown at him by Raja kills the evil man by spilling oil and coal around Raja and through that setting him on fire with a burning rock. At last, Shankar and Gauri embrace each other, finally at peace.
Gauri arrives with her uncle and aunt, forcing them to admit their involvement in making her marry Raja. Raja's doctor and his son turn against him, revealing that he not only deceived Gauri, but is also responsible for numerous killings and rapes. Chaos follows among the mine workers when the DIG throws grenades at them only to be stopped by Shankar who later chases after and corners Raja, who begs for his life, pointing out that he raised Shankar but Shankar disregards this by saying it was to make him a slave. After dodging a pickaxe thrown at him, Shankar kills Raja by spilling oil and coal around him and setting him on fire with a burning rock. Shankar and Gauri embrace each other.


==Cast==
==Cast==
* [[Shah Rukh Khan]] as Shankar Thakur, Hariya and Nandita's son
*[[Shahrukh Khan]] as Shanker
* [[Madhuri Dixit]] as Gauri Singh, Shankar's lover and Raja's former wife
*[[Madhuri Dixit]] as Gauri
* [[Amrish Puri]] as Raja Choudhary, the main antagonist
*[[Amrish Puri]] as Raja Saab
* [[Johnny Lever]] as Charan "Chhote" Rawat, Shankar's friend
*[[Salim Ghouse]] as Brijwa Chaudhry
* [[Deepshikha]] as Bindiya Kumari, Raja's personal secretary
*[[Johnny Lever]] as Chhote
* [[Salim Ghouse]] as Brijesh "Brijwa" Choudhary, Raja's younger brother
*[[Ashok Saraf]] as Ved "Vedji" Narayan
* [[Ashok Saraf]] as Dr. Premal Mehta
*[[Deepshikha Nagpal]] as Bindiya
* [[Ranjeet]] as Dilawar Pratap Singh, Hariya and Nandita's first murderer and Raja's crime partner
*[[Jack Gaud]] as Ranbir Chauhan
* [[Jack Gaud]] as Ranveer Parekh, Hariya and Nandita's second murderer and Raja's crime partner
*[[Ranjeet]] as Dilawar Bapat
* [[Vikas Anand]] as Hariya Thakur, Shankar's father
*[[Mohnish Behl]] as Ashok Singh, Gauri's brother. (special appearance)
* [[Pradeep Rawat (actor)|Pradeep Rawat]] as D.I.G. Surjeet Saxena
*[[Himani Shivpuri]] as Chanda Bai
* [[Kunika]] as Rasili Chandran
*[[Suresh Chatwal]] as Sanjay Singh
* [[Himani Shivpuri]] as Chanda Bai (Madam)
*[[Shubha Khote]] as Sumitra Singh
* [[Shubha Khote]] as Vineeta Singh, Ashok and Gauri's aunt
*[[Razak Khan]] as Anand Godbole
* [[Suresh Chatwal]] as Vijay Singh, Ashok and Gauri's uncle
*[[Kunika]] as Rasili
 
*[[Vikas Anand]] as Hariya Thakur
===Special appearance===
*[[Pradeep Rawat (actor)|Pradeep Rawat]] as Police Commissioner Kashinath
* [[Mohnish Behl]] as Ashok Singh, Gauri's elder brother killed by Raja
*Dev Malhotra
* [[Razzak Khan]] as Kailash Nathan, party guest
*Rammohan Sharma


==Production==
==Production==
Line 75: Line 74:
===Development===
===Development===


[[Rakesh Roshan]] got the idea of making ''Koyla'' when he was shooting for his another directorial venture, which was delayed-since 1992 and finally released in 2000, titled ''[[Karobaar: The Business of Love]]''. The film tells the story of a simple-hearted village girl who falls in love with her torturing husband's mute servant and how the mute man takes revenge against his boss.
[[Rakesh Roshan]] got the idea of making ''Koyla'' when he was shooting for his other directorial venture ''[[Karobaar: The Business of Love]]'' in 1992, which got delayed and was finally released in 2000. ''Koyla'' tells the story of a simple-hearted village girl who falls in love with her torturing husband's mute servant, who then takes revenge against his boss. The film was also Rakesh Roshan's first film to feature [[DTS (sound system)|DTS]] [[5.1 surround sound]].
 
===Casting===
 
Roshan approached [[Sunny Deol]] for the role of Shankar after watching the latter's action scenes in the 1996 films ''[[Jeet (1996 film)|Jeet]]'' and ''[[Ghatak: Lethal]]''. But due to unknown reasons, Deol rejected the role. Upon his refusal, the role was offered to [[Shah Rukh Khan]], who had worked with Roshan in his films ''[[King Uncle]]'' (1993) and ''[[Karan Arjun]]'' (1995).
 
[[Sonali Bendre]] was Roshan's first choice to play the role of Gauri. Later, Roshan replaced her with [[Madhuri Dixit]] for unknown reasons. The film marked the second collaboration between Khan and Dixit following ''[[Anjaam]]'' (1994) after which they also starred in ''[[Dil To Pagal Hai]]'' (also in 1997), ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]'' (2002) and ''[[Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam]]'' (2002).


===Filming===
===Filming===


[[Principal photography]] of ''Koyla'' began in June 1996. A song of the film, ''Tanhai Tanhai'', and some of the scenes, were shot in [[Tawang]]. Other scenes were also filmed in [[Hyderabad]] and south areas of [[Ooty]].
[[Principal photography]] of ''Koyla'' began in June 1996. A song of the film, ''Tanhai Tanhai'', and some of the scenes, were shot at the [[Nuranang Falls]] (the Jang Falls) & [[Jaswant Singh Rawat#Sela|Sela Lake]] near [[Jang Town]] north of [[Sela Tunnel]]/[[Sela Pass]] in [[Tawang district]] of [[Arunachal Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Riba |first1=Moji |title=Lights, camera and anticipation {{!}} The Arunachal Times |url=https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2019/06/30/lights-camera-and-anticipation/ |access-date=15 July 2022 |publisher=The Arunachal Times |date=30 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jung Falls: A Sensational Setting! - Be On The Road {{!}} Live your Travel Dream! |url=https://www.beontheroad.com/2011/01/jung-falls-sensational-setting.html |website=www.beontheroad.com |access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref> Other scenes were also filmed in [[Hyderabad]] and south areas of [[Ooty]].


During the shooting of the film's one of the popular songs, ''Ghungte Mein Chanda'', Khan fractured his leg. The other song of the film, ''Dekha Tujhe Toh'', was to be therefore exited from the film because of his fracture, but after Khan's leg got fully well, the song was shot. The sound of real pots were used for the background music of ''Dekha Tujhe Toh''. A scene of the film was loosely inspired from the 1994 [[Hollywood]] film ''[[Forrest Gump]]''.
During the shooting of the film's one of the popular songs, ''Ghungte Mein Chanda'', Khan fractured his leg.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/stars-and-their-injuries-14914-2.html | title=Stars and their injuries }}</ref> The other song of the film, ''Dekha Tujhe Toh'', was to be therefore exited from the film because of his fracture, but after Khan's leg got fully well, the song was shot. The sound of real pots was used for the background music of ''Dekha Tujhe Toh''.


== Soundtrack ==
== Soundtrack ==
Dekha tujhe to became very popular upon release.  
{{Infobox album
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
| name        = Koyla
! SL No. !! Title !! Singer(s)!! Length
| type        = [[Soundtrack album]]
| artist      = [[Rajesh Roshan]]
| cover        =
| alt          =
| released    = 1997
| recorded    =
| venue        =
| studio      =
| genre        = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length      = 42:40
| label        = [[Tips Music]]
| producer    =
| prev_title  =
| prev_year    =
| next_title  =
| next_year    =
}}
 
The soundtrack was very popular, especially tracks "Dekha Tujhe Toh" and "Ghoongte Mein Chanda". According to the Indian trade website [[Box Office India]], with around 18,00,000 units sold, the soundtrack became the thirteenth highest-selling album of the year.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
! # !! Title !! Singer(s)!! Length
|-
|-
| 1
| 1.
| "Tanhai Tanhai"
| "Dekha Tujhe Toh"
| [[Alka Yagnik]], [[Udit Narayan]]
| [[Kumar Sanu]], [[Alka Yagnik]]
| 05:35
| 07:32
|-
|-
| 2
| 2.
| "Badan Juda Hote Hain"
| "Ghoongte Mein Chanda"
| [[Kumar Sanu]], Preeti Singh, [[Falguni Pathak]]
| [[Udit Narayan]]
| 10:30
| 06:17
|-
|-
| 3
| 3.
| "Dekha Tujhe To"
| "Badan Juda Hote"
| Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik
| Kumar Sanu, Preeti Singh
| 07:32
|10:30
|-
|-
| 4
| 4.
| "[[Sanson Ki Mala Pe]]"
| "Saanson Ki Mala"
|[[Kavita Krishnamurthy]]
|[[Kavita Krishnamurthy]]
| 06:47
| 06:47
|-
|-
| 5
| 5.
| "Bhang Ke Nashe Mein"
| "Tanhai Tanhai"
| Alka Yagnik, [[Aditya Narayan]]
| Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
| 05:35
|-
| 6.
| "Bhang Ke Nashe"
| Alka Yagnik
| 06:07
| 06:07
|-
| 6
| "Ghunghte Mein Chanda Hai"
| Udit Narayan
| 06:17
|}
|}


== Box office ==
== Box office ==


''Koyla'' grossed {{INRConvert|25.91|c}} in India and $600,000 ({{INR|link=Indian rupee}}2.14 [[crore]]) in other countries, for a worldwide total of {{INRConvert|28.05|c}}, against its {{INRConvert|12|c}} budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of {{INRConvert|5.39|c}}, and grossed {{INRConvert|9.60|c}} in its first week.<ref name="BOI financials" /> It is the [[Bollywood films of 1997|9th-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997]] worldwide.<ref>https://www.boxofficeindia.com/hit-down.php?txtYearlyData=1990-1999&year=1997</ref>
''Koyla'' grossed {{INRConvert|25.91|c}} in India and $600,000 ({{INR|link=Indian rupee}}2.14 [[crore]]) in other countries, for a worldwide total of {{INRConvert|28.05|c}}, against its {{INRConvert|12|c}} budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of {{INRConvert|5.39|c}}, and grossed {{INRConvert|9.60|c}} in its first week.<ref name="BOI financials" /> It is the 9th-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997 worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/hit-down.php?txtYearlyData=1990-1999&year=1997|title = Top Hits 1997 - - Box Office India}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7OxBCwAAQBAJ&dq=Koyla+Shah+Rukh&pg=PT212 | isbn=9788187108269 | title=Shah Rukh Can: The Story of the Man and Star Called Shah Rukh Khan | publisher=Om Books International }}</ref>


===India===
===India===


It opened on Friday, 18 April 1997, across 275 screens, and had a record opening of {{INRConvert|4.06|c}} nett. The film shared the record for the highest opening day with the previous record opener ''[[Trimurti (film)|Trimurti]]'' which also grossed {{INRConvert|1.06|c}} nett on its opening day. It went on to break {{INRConvert|3.07|c}} nett opening weekend record set by ''Trimurti'', and recorded highest ever opening weekend of {{INRConvert|3.10|c}} nett. It had a first week of {{INRConvert|5.52|c}} nett. The film earned a total of {{INRConvert|14.88|c}} nett.<ref name="BOI financials" />  
It opened on Friday, 18 April 1997, across 275 screens, and had a record opening of {{INRConvert|15|c}} nett. The film shared the record for the highest opening day with the previous record opener ''[[Trimurti (1995 film)|Trimurti]]'' which also grossed {{INRConvert|1.06|c}} nett on its opening day. It went on to break {{INRConvert|3.07|c}} nett opening weekend record set by ''Trimurti'', and recorded the highest ever opening weekend of {{INRConvert|3.10|c}} nett. It had a first week of {{INRConvert|5.52|c}} nett. The film earned a total of {{INRConvert|14.88|c}} nett.<ref name="BOI financials" />


===Overseas===
===Overseas===


It earned $600,000 ({{INR|link=Indian rupee}}2.14 [[crore]]) outside India.<ref name="BOI financials" />  
It earned $600,000 ({{INR|link=Indian rupee}}2.14 [[crore]]) outside India.<ref name="BOI financials" />
 
==Home media==
 
The film, after its release, saw a home media launch on VHS, VCD, and DVD over the next ten years of its release. There has not been a Blu-ray Disc or subsequent release since then.


{| class="wikitable"  style="float:centre; width:45%; text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable"  style="float:centre; width:45%; text-align:center;"
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[[Category:1997 films]]
[[Category:1997 films]]
[[Category:1990s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:1997 Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:1997 action thriller films]]
[[Category:1997 action thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
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[[Category:Films directed by Rakesh Roshan]]
[[Category:Films directed by Rakesh Roshan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Rajesh Roshan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Rajesh Roshan]]
[[Category:Masala films]]
[[Category:1990s masala films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Sachin Bhowmick]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Sachin Bhowmick]]
[[Category:Films about rape in India]]
[[Category:Films about rape in India]]
[[Category:Indian rape and revenge films]]
[[Category:Indian rape and revenge films]]
[[Category:Tawang Town]]
[[Category:Tawang Town]]

Latest revision as of 22:38, 23 March 2026

This article is about the 1997 movie. For the village in Bangladesh, see Koyla Union.


Koyla
Poster
Directed byRakesh Roshan
Produced byRakesh Roshan
Written byAnwar Khan (dialogues)
Screenplay byRavi Kapoor
Sachin Bhowmick
Story byRakesh Roshan
StarringShah Rukh Khan
Madhuri Dixit
Amrish Puri
Music byRajesh Roshan
CinematographySameer Arya
Edited bySanjay Verma
Production
company
Filmkraft Productions Pvt. Ltd.
Distributed byYash Raj Films
Sony Pictures
Release date
  • 18 April 1997 (1997-04-18) (India)
Running time
167 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budgetest. ₹12 crore[1]
Box officeest. ₹28.05 crore[1]

Koyla (transl. Coal) is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed, co-written and produced by Rakesh Roshan starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Amrish Puri in lead roles with Johnny Lever, Ashok Saraf, Salim Ghouse, Deepshikha Nagpal, and Himani Shivpuri in supporting roles. Mohnish Bahl makes a special appearance. The film was released worldwide on 18 April 1997 and declared an average grosser at the box office, earning over ₹28.05 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹11.90 crore. Koyla emerged as the 8th most successful film of 1997 in India. Critics praised the action sequences performed by Khan. The film also earned Amrish Puri a Best Villain nomination at the 43rd Filmfare Awards. Some scenes were shot in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. This is the third and final collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Rakesh Roshan.

Plot[edit | edit source]

Handsome but mute, Shankar is raised by the powerful Raja, to whom he is loyal. Raja treats him like a slave ,though. Raja's brother Brijwa, a violent psychopath habitually beats Shankar.

A ruthless man with a large appetite for young women, Raja kills anyone who dares to defy him. When Raja sees Gauri, a pretty and innocent villager, he decides to marry her and sends her a photo of Shankar so that Gauri will agree to marry.

During the wedding ceremony, Gauri discovers that Shankar isn't her groom and faints. Raja however orders the priest to continue. When she regains consciousness, Gauri is shocked to see Raja trying to consummate their marriage. When she resists, Raja imprisons her and tortures her.

Gauri tries to commit suicide, but Shankar saves her. She accuses him of ruining her life, but soon realizes he is innocent. When Gauri's brother Ashok visits them, Raja forces Gauri to lie that she is happy.

Shankar reveals the truth to Ashok by writing in the dirt that Raja and Brijwa kill Ashok when he tries to rescue his sister. Ashok makes Shankar promise that he will save Gauri and dies. Gauri and Shankar flee Raja's mansion. Enraged, Raja sets a search in motion with the help of a corrupt DIG. After a long chase through the jungle and mountains, Shankar kills Raja's men. Gauri and Shankar begin to fall in love. Raja captures them by shooting Gauri in the arm. Shankar is brutally beaten by Brijwa and the corrupt DIG, and Raja slits his throat, leaving him to die in the mountains.

Gauri is sold to a brothel after Raja discovers she loves Shankar. There, Bindiya, Raja's former lover, who was disowned by him after she too fell for Shankar, saves Gauri. Brijwa, at his brother's orders, humiliates Bindiya in public and stabs her.

Shankar is saved by a village boy who brings him to his grandfather (a healer), who operates on his throat while he is still unconscious. The healer, who discovers that Shankar is not mute by birth, is able to repair some of the damaged nerves in Shankar's throat, enabling him to speak. While recovering, Shankar recalls that when he was a boy, his father discovered diamonds in the coal mine, and then his parents were murdered by two mysterious men. When young Shankar threatened to tell the news to family friends, someone shoved hot coals into his throat, rendering him mute.

Shankar returns to the mansion and kills Brijwa. He rescues Gauri from the same men who had killed his parents, killing one of them in the process. Shankar discovers that Raja was responsible for making him mute and ordering his parents to be killed so he could steal their wealth. He reunites with Raja's doctor and son and, with their help, kills Raja's henchman and reveals Raja's crimes to the coal miners.

Gauri arrives with her uncle and aunt, forcing them to admit their involvement in making her marry Raja. Raja's doctor and his son turn against him, revealing that he not only deceived Gauri, but is also responsible for numerous killings and rapes. Chaos follows among the mine workers when the DIG throws grenades at them only to be stopped by Shankar who later chases after and corners Raja, who begs for his life, pointing out that he raised Shankar but Shankar disregards this by saying it was to make him a slave. After dodging a pickaxe thrown at him, Shankar kills Raja by spilling oil and coal around him and setting him on fire with a burning rock. Shankar and Gauri embrace each other.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Production[edit | edit source]

Development[edit | edit source]

Rakesh Roshan got the idea of making Koyla when he was shooting for his other directorial venture Karobaar: The Business of Love in 1992, which got delayed and was finally released in 2000. Koyla tells the story of a simple-hearted village girl who falls in love with her torturing husband's mute servant, who then takes revenge against his boss. The film was also Rakesh Roshan's first film to feature DTS 5.1 surround sound.

Filming[edit | edit source]

Principal photography of Koyla began in June 1996. A song of the film, Tanhai Tanhai, and some of the scenes, were shot at the Nuranang Falls (the Jang Falls) & Sela Lake near Jang Town north of Sela Tunnel/Sela Pass in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.[2][3] Other scenes were also filmed in Hyderabad and south areas of Ooty.

During the shooting of the film's one of the popular songs, Ghungte Mein Chanda, Khan fractured his leg.[4] The other song of the film, Dekha Tujhe Toh, was to be therefore exited from the film because of his fracture, but after Khan's leg got fully well, the song was shot. The sound of real pots was used for the background music of Dekha Tujhe Toh.

Soundtrack[edit | edit source]

Koyla
Soundtrack album by
Rajesh Roshan
Released1997
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length42:40
LabelTips Music

The soundtrack was very popular, especially tracks "Dekha Tujhe Toh" and "Ghoongte Mein Chanda". According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 18,00,000 units sold, the soundtrack became the thirteenth highest-selling album of the year.

# Title Singer(s) Length
1. "Dekha Tujhe Toh" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik 07:32
2. "Ghoongte Mein Chanda" Udit Narayan 06:17
3. "Badan Juda Hote" Kumar Sanu, Preeti Singh 10:30
4. "Saanson Ki Mala" Kavita Krishnamurthy 06:47
5. "Tanhai Tanhai" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik 05:35
6. "Bhang Ke Nashe" Alka Yagnik 06:07

Box office[edit | edit source]

Koyla grossed ₹25.91 crore (US$3.6 million) in India and $600,000 (₹2.14 crore) in other countries, for a worldwide total of ₹28.05 crore (US$3.9 million), against its ₹12 crore (US$1.7 million) budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of ₹5.39 crore (US$760,000), and grossed ₹9.60 crore (US$1.3 million) in its first week.[1] It is the 9th-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997 worldwide.[5][6]

India[edit | edit source]

It opened on Friday, 18 April 1997, across 275 screens, and had a record opening of ₹15 crore (US$2.1 million) nett. The film shared the record for the highest opening day with the previous record opener Trimurti which also grossed ₹1.06 crore (US$150,000) nett on its opening day. It went on to break ₹3.07 crore (US$430,000) nett opening weekend record set by Trimurti, and recorded the highest ever opening weekend of ₹3.10 crore (US$430,000) nett. It had a first week of ₹5.52 crore (US$770,000) nett. The film earned a total of ₹14.88 crore (US$2.1 million) nett.[1]

Overseas[edit | edit source]

It earned $600,000 (₹2.14 crore) outside India.[1]

Home media[edit | edit source]

The film, after its release, saw a home media launch on VHS, VCD, and DVD over the next ten years of its release. There has not been a Blu-ray Disc or subsequent release since then.

'Koyla' worldwide collections breakdown
Territory Territory wise Collections break-up
India Nett Gross:
₹14.88 crore (US$2.1 million)
Distributor share:
₹8.36 crore (US$1.2 million)
Total Gross:
₹25.91 crore (US$3.6 million)
International
(Outside India) 		$600,000 (₹2.14 crore)
Worldwide ₹28.05 crore (US$3.9 million)

Awards[edit | edit source]

Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role - Amrish Puri - Nominated

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Box Office India – Movie Financials". BoxOfficeIndia.com. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  2. ↑ Riba, Moji (30 June 2019). "Lights, camera and anticipation | The Arunachal Times". The Arunachal Times. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Jung Falls: A Sensational Setting! - Be On The Road | Live your Travel Dream!". www.beontheroad.com. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Stars and their injuries".
  5. ↑ "Top Hits 1997 - - Box Office India".
  6. ↑ Shah Rukh Can: The Story of the Man and Star Called Shah Rukh Khan. Om Books International. ISBN 9788187108269.

External links[edit | edit source]

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