Company () is a 2002 Indian film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Jaideep Sahni, starring Ajay Devgan, Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Vivek Oberoi,and Antara Mali. It is a fictional exposé of the Mumbai underworld, loosely based on the Indian mafia organization D-Company, known to be run by Dawood Ibrahim. The film won six out of the eleven awards it was nominated for at the Filmfare Awards.

Plot

The story revolves around a young man named Chandu (played by Vivek Oberoi) joining the world of crime in the Mumbai underworld to "make it big" someday. Gradually he learns tricks of the trade and increases the gang's earnings and profits. This leads to his affinity with Malik (played by Ajay Devgan) who is the leader of the gang.

The film features one cold blooded murder scene wherein Malik and Chandu kill Saeed and his brother Anis in the rear seat of the car on a chilling rainy day. Thereafter Malik goes on a bloody rampage killing all his opponents, so as to take the reins of underworld in his hands.

They include his rival gang leader and colleague under Aslam's umbrella Sharma, who was in a meeting with police inspector Rathod, also killed off. Inspector Rathod, who once tortured and abused Chandu in jail in early days, was also killed at Malik's permission.

However, both come at loggerheads during the execution of a contract killing. The contract was from a politician who tries to use Malik's gang to eliminate a front-runner, a contender for Home Minister's post.

The rift between Chandu and Malik widens due to various misunderstandings. The Commissioner of Police, Sreenivasan IPS (Mohanlal) makes use of the rift to bring the mafia under control. Chandu and Malik end up becoming bitter enemies. After Chandu's retaliation of the assassination of his life long friend of one of lieutenants Warsi, two factions of Mumbai's once most powerful gang 'Company' went to a full scale war.

Malik and Chandu killed as many members of each opponent gangs as possible. Sreenivasan, as the police chief of the city of murders due to the war, became criticized greatly, but he and his men knew this war ultimately is shortening the to do list of his department. Big number of button men and lieutenants from both gangs were being killed. The war results in an intense chase sequence shot in Kenya where Malik hires hitmen to kill Chandu.

However Chandu survives, though he is injured severely. Sreenivasan convinces Chandu to come back to Mumbai and fight his war with Malik by helping the police bring the mafia under control.

The film reaches its climax when Chandu kills the politician (the mastermind of the contract killing) within the prison. At the same time, one of Chandu's aides named Koda Singh, who swore revenge to kill who went against his friend Chandu, shoots Malik point blank to death in Hong Kong.

This shows, Chandu and Malik came to a truce but Chandu never withdrew his order to Koda to kill Malik. It's not confirmed that whether Chandu has forgotten to withdraw his orders or deliberately kept that on. But, after the assassination Sreenivasan notified Chandu and Chandu became tremendously shocked at this news. So, possibly Chandu forgot to send a come back call to Koda.

Koda Singh was arrested by Hong Kong Police on that day. The film ends, showing Chandu spending the rest of his life in prison after being persuaded by the Police Commissioner to surrender.

Cast

Crew

Awards

Filmfare Awards

IIFA Awards

Star Screen Award

Soundtrack

The soundtrack features 8 songs composed by Sandeep Chowta, with lyrics by Nitin Raikwar .

Track listing: #"Khallas" (5:03) – Asha Bhosle, Sudesh Bhonsle, Sapna Awasthi #"Tumse Kitna" (4:28) – Altaf Raja #"Pyar Pyar Mein" (4:51) – Babul Supriyo, Sonali Vajpayee #"A Shot of Company" (4:32) – Instrumental #"Malik's Soul" (6:19) – Instrumental #"Gandha Hai" (3:43) – Sandeep Chowta #"Ankhon Mein" (5:13) – Sowmya Raoh #"Khallas Remix" (5:11) – Asha Bhonsle, Sudesh Bhonsle

Resemblances with Real-life D-Company Events

Company shows how the Hindi film industry went into trouble after violent split between Chandu and Mallik. Another interview of Chotta Shakeel which was given to Times of India describes the intense circumstance inside the Mumbai's film industry due to gang disputes. It appears that depiction of a dispute in Company where fictional film-star Naved Khan falls between Mallik's and Chandu's disputing gangs gangs and becomes immensely confused, has been a reference to that notable interview where Chotta Shakeel almost leaves a clarification of underworld's finance in Indian film industry.

Influence

References

External links

Category:2002 films Category:Hindi-language films Category:Indian films Category:Films about organized crime in India Category:Films set in Mumbai Category:Films directed by Ram Gopal Varma

Ajay Devgn (), born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969, is an Indian film actor, director, and producer.

He made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance in the film and for which he won a Filmfare Best Debut Award. He then starred in films such as Jigar (1992), Dilwale (1994), Suhaag (1994), Naajayaz (1995), Diljale (1996) and Ishq (1997).

In 1999, Devgan received his first National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Mahesh Bhatt's drama Zakhm. Some of his later films of the decade are Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Kachche Dhaage.

In the early 2000s, he starred in Lajja (2001) and Company (2002). In 2003, he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bhagat Singh in Rajkumar Santoshi's biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Throughout his career he has given many critically and commercially successful films including Raincoat (2004), Yuva (2004), Omkara (2006), Golmaal (2006), Golmaal Returns (2008), All The Best: Fun Begins (2009), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), Golmaal 3 (2010), Raajneeti (2010), and Singham (2011). Having done so, he has established himself as one of the leading actors of Bollywood.

Biography

Career

In 1994, Devgn worked in Harry Baweja's Dilwale, Suhaag and ''Vijaypath".

In 1995, he appeared in Mahesh Bhatt's "Naajayaz", for which he was nominated for "filmfare best actor award". In 1996, he continued with "Diljale".

Devgn began starring in comedy films, such as Ishq in 1997.

In 1998, he starred in "Major Saab" and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha. He next starred in Mahesh Bhatt's Zakhm. He won several awards for his performance, including the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Star Screen Award for Best Actor

Devgn's 1999 work included Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam as well as "Hindustan ki kasam" and "Kachche dhage".

In 2000, he worked in Harry Baweja's "Deewane". In this film, he essayed the role of two persons, where one is thief and another is police officer. The film was a flop at the box office. In the same year, he starred in his first home production "Raju Chacha" opposite wife Kajol. The film also bombed at the box office.

In 2001, he starred in "Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke" co-starring Madhuri Dixit and Priety Zinta. This film was an average grosser at the box office. His next release "Lajja", alongside Manisha Koirala, Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor, earned him a nomination for the "Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award". The film did not perform as expected at the box office. He then worked in Mahesh Manjrekar's "Tera Mera Saath Rahen".

In 2002, he featured in Ram Gopal Verma's fictional expose of Mumbai Underworld "Company". He was nominated for Filmfare Best Actor Award and won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. The film fared well at the box office. His next release was "Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin" alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai.

In the same year, he starred in Rajkumar Santoshi's biopic "The Legend of Bhagat Singh". The film didn't fare well at the box office. However, he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance. He then starred in Anees Bazmee's "Deewangee". The film was partially inspired by William Diehl's English Language novel "Primal Fear". He won several awards for his negative role including, "Filmfare Best Villain Award", "Star Screen Award Best Villain" and "Zee Cine Award Best Actor in a Negative Role". This film was a success at the box office.

In 2003, he starred in Ram Gopal Verma's "Bhoot" opposite Urmila Matondkar. The film was appreciated critically & performed very well at the box office. He then starred in action thriller "Qayamat: City Under Threat" opposite debutant Neha Dhupia which was huge commercial success. He then worked in Milan Luthria's romantic film "Chori Chori" opposite Rani Mukherji and Sonali Bendre. This film did not succeed at the box office.

In that same year he featured in Prakash Jha's "Gangaajal", for which he was nominated for "Filmfare Best Actor Award". He then worked in Rohit Shetty's directional debut "Zameen", which grossed Rs.16,00,00,000 and J. P. Dutta's war film "LOC Kargil".

In 2004 he was cast along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar in Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee which grossed Indian Rs.36,25,00,000.The film had a bumper opening and was declared success in one week. He then appeared in Director Indra Kumar's Masti. The movie was an average hit. Then he starred in critically acclaimed movies such as Yuva (his role was appreciated), and Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat (film). He then had cameo appearance in Taarzan: The Wonder Car.

2005 was less successful for him as he starred in a series of flop movies like Insan, Blackmail, Main Aisa Hi Hoon, Tango Charlie, and Shikhar whilst Kaal and Apaharan succeeded at the Box Office. For his performance in Apaharan the Superstar was nominated National Film Award for Best Actor and Filmfare Best Actor Award. For his villanous performance in Kaal he was nominated Filmfare Best Villain Award

2006 was a remarkable year in his career as he starred in two of his famous films Golmaal and Omkara. Omkara was a critical and a commercial hit in which he was cast in the title role and Golmaal was a sleeper hit and which was later followed by two super hit sequels Golmaal Returns and Golmaal 3. He is also featured in a short documentary about Mumbai floods of 2005 named The Awakening.

2007 was again disappointing for him as he starred only in 2 movies, one of which was Anubhav Sinha's action thriller Cash in which he was cast along with Sunil Shetty. The movie did a below average collection at the box-office and the other was Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag which was a remake of the 1975 classic Sholay. The film received extremely poor reception from critics, and is currently placed at number 14 on the bottom 100 movies on Imdb. The film is considered as a benchmark for bad movies.

In 2008 he worked with Rajkumar Santoshi and was cast with Pankaj Kapoor and Vidya Balan in Halla Bol. He then starred in director Rohit Shetty's third film Sunday, before directing his first movie with wife Kajol and himself in lead roles. The film, titled U, Me aur Hum, was an average success. He also had a cameo appearance in his brother Anil Devgan's film Haal-e-dil. He starred with long-time friend Sanjay Dutt and actress Manisha Koirala in Afzal Khan's Mehbooba. He then re-teamed with Rohit Shetty for the squeal of his hit film Golmaal, Golmaal Returns which was a blockbuster hit.

In 2009 he produced his third film All the Best also directed by Rohit Shetty. The film did good business and was a semi-hit. Later in the year he starred in Vipul shah's London Dreams with Salman Khan and south star Asin. The film did not succeed and was declared a flop.

In the beginning of 2010 he worked with legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Ben Kingsley in Leena Yadav's Teen Patti. He starred in the comedy Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge alongside Paresh Rawal and Konkona Sen Sharma which was a success. He followed this with Prakash Jha's Raajneeti and Milan Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbai. Both movies were among the top grossers of 2010. Then he worked alongside Akshaye Khanna in Priyadarshan's rough adaptation of Mississippi Burning, Aakrosh. He again teamed up with Rohit Shetty for Golmaal 3. The movie was a super hit and the forth highest grossing movie in Bollywood history as it received mixed to good reviews. Then he starred in the animated film Toonpur Ka Super Hero.D In 2011 he again teamed up with Emraan Hashmi in Madhur Bhandarkar's comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji which also starred Omi Vaidya and the film became a moderate success. He was a narrator in Yamla Pagla Deewana. He also did a cameo role in the 2011 Salman Khan-starrer Ready. Singham was released on 22 july 2011 it became second biggest opener after ready and all time biggest solo opener for Devgn. It has grossed more than 47.50 crores in five days in India. According to wikipedia its net gross in has reached 150 crores.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Actor