View source for Ab Tak Chhappan

{{short description|2004 film by Shimit Amin}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Ab Tak Chhappan
| image          = Ab Tak Chhappan.jpg
| caption        =
| director       = [[Shimit Amin]]
| producer       = [[Ram Gopal Varma]]
| writer         = Sandeep Srivastava
| screenplay     =
| story          =
| based_on       = <!-- {{based on|title of the original work|writer of the original work}} -->
| starring       = [[Nana Patekar]] <br /> [[Mohan Agashe]] <br />[[Revathi]] <br />Prasad Purandare<br />[[Hrishitaa Bhatt]]<br />[[Nakul Vaid]]
| music          = [[Salim-Sulaiman]]
| cinematography = [[Vishal Sinha]]<br>Debpriya Dutta
| editing        = Murad Siddiqui
| studio         =
| distributor    =
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|2004|2|27|}}
| runtime        = 129 minutes
| country        = India
| language       = Hindi
| budget         =
| gross          = 
}}

'''''Ab Tak Chhappan''''' ({{trans|Fifty-six so far}}) is a 2004 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[action thriller film]]<ref name=rediff>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-the-top-25-hindi-action-films-of-all-time/20120127.htm|title=The Top 25 Hindi Action Films of all Time|work=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref> directed by [[Shimit Amin]], written by Sandeep Srivastava, produced by [[Ram Gopal Varma]], and starring [[Nana Patekar]] in the lead role. It also stars [[Revathi]], [[Yashpal Sharma (actor)|Yashpal Sharma]], [[Mohan Agashe]], [[Nakul Vaid]], and [[Hrishitaa Bhatt]] in supporting roles.
The story revolves around Inspector Sadhu Agashe ([[Nana Patekar]]) from the [[Mumbai Encounter Squad]] famous for having killed 56 people in [[police encounter]]s. A film without any songs, it is inspired by the life of Police sub-Inspector with Mumbai Police force [[Daya Nayak]]. The film was premiered at the [[New York Asian Film Festival]].<ref name=David>{{cite web|author=David |title=The Films of Ram Gopal Varma – An Overview |publisher=Cinema Strikes Back |date=16 June 2006 |url=http://www.cinemastrikesback.com/?p=1202 |access-date=22 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725153007/http://www.cinemastrikesback.com/?p=1202 |archive-date=25 July 2009 }}</ref> [[Times Internet]] released a [[first-person shooter]] game titled ''Fatal Encounter'' as a [[tie-in]] to the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abtak56.indiatimes.com/game.htm|title=Ab Tak Chhappan – Fatal Encounter|publisher=[[Times Internet|Indiatimes]]}}</ref>

The film released theatrically on 27 February 2004. In 2012, [[Rediff.com]] included the film in its list of the top 25 Hindi action films of all time.<ref name=rediff/> A sequel ''[[Ab Tak Chhappan 2]]'' was directed by Aejaz Gulab.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/index/search/q/Aejaz%20Gulab |title=Ab Tak Chhappan 2 &#124; Bollywood News &#124; Hindi Movies News &#124; Celebrity News |publisher=BollywoodHungama.com |date=10 January 2012 |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref>

==Plot==
The section of the Mumbai Police Department responsible for handling the underworld, known as Crime Branch, is headed by Sadhu Agashe ([[Nana Patekar]]). Sadhu is the city's best inspector with an enviable reputation and record of an encounter with shootings. Though challenging, he is a loving husband to his wife ([[Revathi]]) and father and also helps his informers and other poor people in times of need. His immediate junior, Imtiyaz Siddiqui ([[Yashpal Sharma (actor)|Yashpal Sharma]]), despises Sadhu to no end; he feels Sadhu intentionally belittles him. Also, Imtiyaz is more concerned about adding to his encounter score and therefore ends up killing more than the primary target, which is the main reason Sadhu dislikes him. To add to his woes, Imtiyaz is unable to surpass Sadhu's encounter "score". Enter Jatin ([[Nakul Vaid]]), a rookie to this line of policing who manages to impress Sadhu. The inspector takes the newcomer under his wing, further antagonizing Imtiyaz.  All of them report to the Commissioner Pradhan ([[Mohan Agashe]]), who is a fair and honest police officer.

During these events, Sadhu establishes a love-hate friendship on the phone with Zameer (Prasad Purandare), a notorious underworld don based abroad, who grudgingly admires Sadhu for his no-nonsense attitude. Zameer and rival don, Rajashekhar, run the Mumbai underworld.

Sadhu Agashe's world begins to turn upside down as Pradhan retires and with the entrance of the new commissioner, M P Suchak ([[Jeeva (Telugu actor)|Jeeva]]) who has a strong link with the don, Rajashekhar. Suchak takes a liking towards Imtiyaz, who is willing to do encounters primarily with Zameer's men, mainly on Rajashekhar's orders. Suchak starts undermining and belittling Sadhu. Sadhu continues on his righteous path. Eventually, the pressures of his career take a toll on his personal life as some men kill his wife in the Jatin and Vaishali's wedding reception party. During his personal investigation into this matter, Sadhu kills Feroz, the right-hand man of Rajashekhar. Sadhu is compelled to resign from the force, and Suchak (on Rajashekhar's orders) sends Imtiyaz to kill Sadhu. Imtiaz gets killed in a peculiar chain of events, and Sadhu Agashe, a once famed inspector, becomes a fugitive of the law. Suchak announces shoot at sight orders against Sadhu despite Pradhan's advice to the contrary, and Sadhu is forced to ask Zameer for help in escaping from India.

Meanwhile, Jatin, who has been growing increasingly disenchanted by Suchak's behaviour, resigns and calls for a press conference and exposes Suchak's connection with Rajashekhar. Suchak disputes this in his press conference but is suspended pending the investigation.

Sadhu goes to Zameer's HQ and thanks to him for releasing him and tells him that he is now Zameer's man. As Zameer and Sadhu are drinking alone, Sadhu breaks a glass. Sadhu accuses Zameer of killing his wife. When Zameer tells Sadhu that it is Feroz who killed his wife, Sadhu informs him that he had killed Feroz earlier, and hence he was convinced that using Feroz's name, Zameer had murdered Sadhu's wife. Suddenly, Sadhu uses the broken glass to kill Zameer and escapes. Then the scene rolls forward to a location abroad where Sadhu and Pradhan are having coffee. When Pradhan asks Sadhu about why he had run away, thereby proving the allegations against him, Sadhu tells him that it is part of his plan. He was able to kill Zameer as a fugitive which he could never have done as a cop. He says that he will now go to Rajashekhar since Rajashekhar is thrilled at Zameer's death and kill him too. Sadhu says that he doesn't care what the world thinks of him, and he will always be a cop and will continue his work of eliminating crime until he dies. He requests Pradhan to look after his son, who is with his maternal aunt in Pune, and Pradhan contemplatively agrees. The end credits roll as Sadhu gets up and walks off after saying good bye to Pradhan.

==Cast==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Nana Patekar]] as Inspector Sadhu Agashe
*[[Yashpal Sharma (actor)|Yashpal Sharma]] as Sub-Inspector Imtiaz Siddiqui
*Prasad Purandare as Zameer, underworld don
*[[Nakul Vaid]] as Sub-Inspector Jatin Shukla
*[[Kunal Vijaykar]] as Sub-Inspector Francis Alvarez
*[[Jeeva (Telugu actor)|Jeeva]] as Joint Commissioner M P Suchak
*[[Revathi]] as Nameeta Agashe, Sadhu Agashe's wife
*[[Tanmay Jahagirdar]] as Aman Agashe, Sadhu Agashe's son
*[[Ravi Kale]] as Corporator Velankar
*[[Hrishitaa Bhatt]] as Vaishali, Jatin's wife (Special appearance)
*Parvez Fazal Khan as Feroz
*[[Mohan Agashe|Dr. Mohan Agashe]] as Ex-Commissioner Pradhan
*Pravin Patil as Sub-Inspector Narayan
*[[Dibyendu Bhattacharya]] as Nazrul, Zameer's henchman
*[[Anant Jog]] as Sawant
*Shaikh Shami Usman as Joshi
*Ajay Rohilla as Vinod, Police informer
*Pankaj Saraswat as Pappu, Police informer
*Megan Cocks as Melinda, Zameer's moll
*[[Dinesh Lamba]] as Rafiq
*Amrish as Vilas
*Vijay as Rasool
*Ashok Kumar Beniwal as [[Research and Analysis Wing|RAW]] Officer
*Adil Rana as a Police officer
*Amin Merchant as Wadia
*Santosh Tiwari as a servant
{{div col end|2}}

==Awards==
*[[BFJA Award for Best Actor (Hindi)]] - Nana Patekar
*[[Zee Cine Awards]]
**Best Background score - Salim and Sulaiman Merchant - Won
**Best Publicity Design - Leo Entertainment - Won
**Best Producer - Ram Gopal Varma - Nominated

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official site|http://abtak56.indiatimes.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|0402014|Ab Tak Chhappan}}

{{Ram Gopal Varma}}
{{Shimit Amin}}
[[Category:2004 films]]
[[Category:2000s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:2004 action drama films]]
[[Category:2004 action thriller films]]
[[Category:2004 crime drama films]]
[[Category:2004 crime thriller films]]
[[Category:2000s crime action films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Hindi-language action films]]
[[Category:Indian action drama films]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian crime drama films]]
[[Category:Indian crime thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian crime action films]]
[[Category:Indian avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Indian police films]]
[[Category:Films about corruption in India]]
[[Category:Hindi films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Fictional portrayals of the Maharashtra Police]]
[[Category:2000s avant-garde and experimental films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Shimit Amin]]