{ "id": "epdqjep5j4", "slug": "aakhri-daku", "title": "Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s", "label": "Hindi films of the 1970s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "label": "Released 1976 to 1979", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: Released 1976 to 1979", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s", "label": "Hindi films of the 1970s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "label": "Released 1976 to 1979", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू, \"The last dacoit\") is a 1978 Hindi action film directed by Prakash Mehra, starring Vinod Khanna, Randhir Kapoor, Rekha, and Reena Roy, with music by Kalyanji–Anandji and production by Shanti Sagar (Art Makers).", "snippet": "Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू, \"The last dacoit\") is a 1978 Hindi action film directed by Prakash Mehra, starring Vinod Khanna, Randhir Kapoor, Rekha, and Reena Roy, with music by Kalyanji–Anandji and production by Shanti Sagar (Art Makers).", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "markdown": "# Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू)\n\n**Aakhri Daku** (आखिरी डाकू, Hindi name also written आखरी डाकू; translated as \"The last dacoit\") is a 1978 Hindi action film directed by [Prakash Mehra](https://www.edgepedia.org/prakash-mehra), starring [Vinod Khanna](https://www.edgepedia.org/vinod-khanna), Randhir Kapoor, Rekha, and [Reena Roy](https://www.edgepedia.org/reena-roy). It was produced by Shanti Sagar under the banner Art Makers, with music by the composing duo Kalyanji–Anandji.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/) • [2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) • [3](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/generic/bhushan-tiwari/research-centre/all/aakhri-daku-1978-cinema-poster-4722)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | आखिरी डाकू (also rendered आखरी डाकू), translated \"The last dacoit\"[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) |\n| Release | 1978; databases list 7 March 1978 (wide theatrical release in India)[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) |\n| Director / producer | Prakash Mehra; Shanti Sagar, banner Art Makers[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/) • [3](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/generic/bhushan-tiwari/research-centre/all/aakhri-daku-1978-cinema-poster-4722) |\n| Lead cast | Vinod Khanna, Randhir Kapoor, Rekha, Reena Roy, with Sujit Kumar, Ranjeet, Keshto Mukherjee, Paintal, Agha, and P. Jairaj[4](https://www.bollywoodlegends.co.in/movies/item/aakhri-daku) |\n| Music | Kalyanji–Anandji; lyrics by Indeevar and Anjaan; four songs[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/) • [5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/songs/) |\n| Runtime / rating | 2 hours 20 minutes; censor rating U in India[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) |\n| Genre | Action[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Cast and characters\n\nVinod Khanna plays Mangal Singh, a feared dacoit of the Chambal valley with a government reward on his head. Reena Roy plays Champa, the dacoit's lover, who wants him to abandon his life of crime and marry her. [Randhir Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/randhir-kapoor) plays Bhola, a poor, honest village simpleton, and Rekha plays Bhola's sweetheart.[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku)\n\nThe supporting cast includes [Sujit Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sujit-kumar), Ranjeet, Keshto Mukherjee, Paintal, Agha, P. Jairaj, Mumtaz Begum, Dulari, Padmini Kapila, and Helen. Achala Sachdev plays Bhola's mother in the plot summary.[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku)\n\n### Plot\n\nThe story turns on an identity swap. Mangal Singh loots and kills in the Chambal valley; the reward on his head of Rs. 5,000 rises to Rs. 50,000. Bhola, driven to despair by poverty after his mother scolds him, tries to end his life and is caught by Mangal Singh's men. Mangal Singh, whose true face is unknown to the police, proposes a trade: Bhola will surrender as Mangal Singh and hang in his place, while the real dacoit collects the Rs. 50,000 reward from the government and passes it to Bhola's family. Events reveal that Mangal Singh is in fact Bhola's brother, and the police have already identified Bhola as the dacoit.[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku)\n\n## Production and crew\n\nPrakash Mehra directed the film. His Hindi output that same year included *Muqaddar Ka Sikandar*; a later obituary in the [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) grouped *Aakhri Daku* with *Zindagi Ek Jua* (1992) as the \"duds\" among his films, in contrast to his blockbusters.[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) • [6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/prakash-mehra-creator-of-bollywood-s-angry-young-man/story-cDcMGEdsz21w7uwArwSwKM.html) The *Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema* catalogs the film as *Aakhri Daku* (Prakash Mehra, H, 1978), the standard abbreviation for a Hindi film.[7](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%20of%20Indian%20Cinema.pdf)\n\nProduction credits differ across databases. Bollywood Hungama, India-Forums, and the Tuli Research Centre's poster archive name Shanti Sagar as producer; the Tuli entry records the banner as Art Makers on a 1978 half-sheet poster.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/) • [3](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/generic/bhushan-tiwari/research-centre/all/aakhri-daku-1978-cinema-poster-4722) The archived poster, an industry artifact, supports the Shanti Sagar attribution.\n\n## Music\n\nThe soundtrack, composed by [Kalyanji–Anandji](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalyanji-anandji) (Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah), has four songs. \"Koi Na Koi To Sabhi Me Kami Hai\" is sung by [Kishore Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/kishore-kumar) with lyrics by Indeevar; \"Kahi Na Jiya Lage To Meri Gali Aaiyo\" is a mujra-style number sung by [Asha Bhosle](https://www.edgepedia.org/asha-bhosle); and \"Maiya Mere Bhaiya Na Aaye Ri\", a sad song, and \"Yaar Mera Paise Kaa Deewana\" are sung by Lata Mangeshkar, with lyrics by Anjaan on the latter three. The songs were released on an EP issued by Saregama India Limited.[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/songs/) • [8](https://music.apple.com/us/album/aakhri-daku-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1333342717) • [9](https://www.hindilyrics4u.com/movie/aakhri_daku.htm)\n\n## Release\n\nDatabases disagree on the exact day of release. Moviebuff lists 7 March 1978 as a wide theatrical release in India, and this date is repeated on several streaming-guide pages.[2](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku) The BollywoodMDB calendar instead lists the film among 1978 releases on 19 January 1978, alongside *Vishwanath* and *Nasbandi* in the same month.[10](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/movies/calendar-1978) All sources agree on the year 1978.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/)\n\nThe film is cataloged in the filmography of Prakash Mehra in the *Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema* and appears in listings of 1978 Hindi films.[7](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%20of%20Indian%20Cinema.pdf) It is not currently available on major streaming services.[11](https://www.yidio.com/movie/aakhri-daku/6318)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Aakhri Daku Cast & Crew, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/cast/)\n2. [Aakhri Daku (1978), Moviebuff](https://moviebuff.herokuapp.com/aakhri-daku)\n3. [Sagar, Shanti (Producer), Aakhri Daku, 1978 – Half Sheet Poster, Tuli Research Centre for India Studies](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/generic/bhushan-tiwari/research-centre/all/aakhri-daku-1978-cinema-poster-4722)\n4. [Aakhri Daku, Bollywood Legends](https://www.bollywoodlegends.co.in/movies/item/aakhri-daku)\n5. [Aakhri Daku Music, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/aakhri-daku/songs/)\n6. [Prakash Mehra, creator of Bollywood's 'angry young man', Hindustan Times (2009)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/prakash-mehra-creator-of-bollywood-s-angry-young-man/story-cDcMGEdsz21w7uwArwSwKM.html)\n7. [Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema, entry listings (indiancine.ma text copy)](https://indiancine.ma/documents/DSP/Encyclopedia%20of%20Indian%20Cinema.pdf)\n8. [Aakhri Daku (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – EP, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/aakhri-daku-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1333342717)\n9. [Aakhri Daku (1978) song lyrics and details, Hindilyrics4u](https://www.hindilyrics4u.com/movie/aakhri_daku.htm)\n10. [Bollywood Movie Calendar 1978, BollywoodMDB](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/movies/calendar-1978)\n11. [Watch Aakhri Daku (1978), Yidio](https://www.yidio.com/movie/aakhri-daku/6318)\n\n---\n*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*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू)](https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku](https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Aakhri Daku (आखिरी डाकू)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/aakhri-daku. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Aakhri Daku is a 1978 Hindi action film directed by Prakash Mehra, starring Vinod Khanna, Randhir Kapoor, Rekha, and Reena Roy, with music by Kalyanji–Anandji and production by Shanti Sagar." }