Amar Deep (अमर दीप)
Amar Deep (अमर दीप) is a 1979 Hindi-language drama and romance film directed by R. Krishnamurthy and K. Vijayan and produced by K. Balaji for the Madras-based banner Sujata International. It stars Rajesh Khanna as Raja, Vinod Mehra as Kishan, and Shabana Azmi as Radha, with music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyrics by Anand Bakshi.1 • 2 The film was a remake of the Tamil film Dheepam (1977).3
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year and banner | 1979; Sujata International, Madras; subject listed as Social1 |
| Directors / producer | R. Krishnamurthy and K. Vijayan; producer K. Balaji1 • 4 |
| Music | Laxmikant-Pyarelal (music directors), Anand Bakshi (lyricist); record company INRECO1 |
| Lead cast | Rajesh Khanna (Raja/Sonu), Vinod Mehra (Kishan), Shabana Azmi (Radha)2 |
| Censor record | Certificate Madras U-80853; 4674.41 meters, 17 reels, running time 170m24s; dated 18.04.19791 |
| Release | 18 May 19795 |
| Award | Rajesh Khanna nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor award at the 1980 Filmfare Awards2 |
Spoilers
Plot
Raja (Rajesh Khanna) was adopted as a young child by a criminal don (Ashok Kumar). After the don's death, Raja inherits the property and refrains from crime, but the wealth and power make him arrogant.2 He desires Radha (Shabana Azmi), the daughter of his servant Ramukaka (A. K. Hangal), and asks Ramu's permission to marry her. Ramu accepts, but Radha refuses because she loves Kishan (Vinod Mehra).2
When Raja learns that Radha is meeting Kishan secretly, he complains to Ramu, who forbids her from seeing Kishan.6 Raja then discovers a secret from Kishan's past, meets him, hires him, and even arranges a lavish marriage between Kishan and Radha, leaving Kishan indebted to him. He entrusts Kishan with important work that requires extensive travel. Kishan eventually learns the real reason for Raja's generosity: whether Raja wants Kishan out of the way so he can be near Radha, or has another motive, forms the suspense of the later story.6 • 7
Cast
The credited cast includes Rajesh Khanna as Raja/Sonu, Vinod Mehra as Kishan, Shabana Azmi as Radha, Deven Verma as Rahim, Roopesh Kumar as Ramesh (manager), Bindu as Asha, Unni Mary (credited as Deepa, described as a new discovery from the South) as Lata, A. K. Hangal as Ramukaka, and Ashok Kumar in a special appearance as the don.1 • 2 Mithun Chakraborty appears as Sajan in a guest appearance, and Savitri plays Sonu and Kishan's mother, also in a guest role.2
Music
The songs were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal with lyrics by Anand Bakshi, and the soundtrack was released on INRECO Records.1
An unusual touch appears at the very start of the film: after the censor certificate, a spoken line reads thanks to the poet Kaifi Azmi and the singer Mohammad Rafi.1
Release and censorship
The film was certified by the Madras regional censor board as U-80853, with a listed length of 4674.41 meters across 17 reels and a running time of 170 minutes 24 seconds, dated 18 April 1979.1 It was released on 18 May 1979.5 Published runtimes differ across databases: Rotten Tomatoes lists 2h 9m4, the Times of India eTimes listing gives 2 hrs 22 mins8, and the censor record gives 170m24s.1 The film is also cataloged under the alternative title Flacăra eternă.2
Reception and recognition
On IMDb the film holds a user rating of 7.2/10 from 103 votes.2 Rajesh Khanna received a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor at the 1980 Filmfare Awards for his performance, but the award went to Amol Palekar for Golmaal.2 • 7
The title was not new to Hindi cinema: a film with the same name had already been passed by the Censor Board in 1958, the Dev Anand and Vyjayanthimala musical directed by T. Prakash Rao.1 • 9
References
- Amar Deep, Hindi Film Database 1931–1970, hamraaz.org
- Amar Deep (1979), IMDb
- Amardeep (1979) Full Hindi Movie, YouTube (Ultra Movie Parlour)
- Amardeep (1979), Rotten Tomatoes
- Amar Deep (1979), Bollywood Hungama
- Amar Deep (1979), Letterboxd
- Amar Deep, Baidu Baike
- Amar Deep, eTimes, Times of India
- Amar Deep (1958), Rotten Tomatoes
Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 1970s › Released 1976 to 1979
Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026
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