{ "id": "epyrvvxeen", "slug": "kurukshetra-2000-film", "title": "Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (2000 film)", "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-2000s", "label": "Hindi films of the 2000s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-2000s" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-2000s.action-and-thriller-films", "label": "Action and thriller films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-2000s.action-and-thriller-films" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: 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", "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" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र), 2000 Hindi action drama by Mahesh Manjrekar starring Sanjay Dutt and Mahima Chaudhry; honest cop versus corrupt chief minister, released 10 November 2000, music by Himesh Reshammiya.", "snippet": "Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र), 2000 Hindi action drama by Mahesh Manjrekar starring Sanjay Dutt and Mahima Chaudhry; honest cop versus corrupt chief minister, released 10 November 2000, music by Himesh Reshammiya.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-2000s.action-and-thriller-films", "markdown": "# Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (2000 film)\n\n**Kurukshetra** (कुरुक्षेत्र) is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action drama directed by [Mahesh Manjrekar](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-manjrekar), in which an honest Mumbai police officer chargesheets the chief minister's son for rape and is drawn into a destructive political battle. It stars [Sanjay Dutt](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-dutt) as A.C.P. Prithviraj Singh and [Mahima Chaudhry](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahima-chaudhry) as his wife Anjali, with Om Puri, Shivaji Satam, and Mukesh Rishi in principal supporting roles[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255309/). The film was produced by Pravin Shah for Time Movies and released in India on 10 November 2000[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kurukshetra/cast/) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms).\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / producer | Mahesh Manjrekar; produced by Pravin Shah for Time Movies[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms) |\n| Release | 10 November 2000, India; Hindi-language action drama[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kurukshetra/cast/) |\n| Lead cast | Sanjay Dutt (A.C.P. Prithviraj Singh), Mahima Chaudhry (Anjali), Om Puri (Chief Minister Baburao Deshmukh), Shivaji Satam (Sambhaji Yadav), Mukesh Rishi (Iqbal Pasina)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255309/) |\n| Music | Himesh Reshammiya[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms) |\n| Runtime | 129 minutes (2h 9min)[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/kurukshetra) |\n| Box office | ₹110.2 million (₹11.02 crore) net collection against a reported budget of about ₹85 million (₹8.50 crore)[5](https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/bollywood/sanjay-dutt-mahima-chaudhry-starrer-kurukshetra-completes-25-years-unknown-facts-from-sets-box-office-report-2025-11-08) |\n| Recognition | Sanjay Dutt nominated for the Screen Award for Best Actor in 2001[5](https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/bollywood/sanjay-dutt-mahima-chaudhry-starrer-kurukshetra-completes-25-years-unknown-facts-from-sets-box-office-report-2025-11-08) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nPrithviraj Singh (Sanjay Dutt) is an honest police officer who allows nothing against the law. On taking charge in Mumbai he destroys the illegal business of the gangster Iqbal Pasina ([Mukesh Rishi](https://www.edgepedia.org/mukesh-rishi)), making him his first enemy; the enmity slowly turns into respect and friendship, Pasina having come to revere the officer's integrity[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms). At home, Prithvi's wife Anjali (Mahima Chaudhry) feels that her husband gives more time to his profession than to his family, though she ultimately supports him[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms).\n\nThe central conflict begins when Chief Minister Baburao Deshmukh's ([Om Puri](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-puri)) son and his friend are jailed for raping a girl. The minister uses every means at his disposal to rid his son of the accusation, while Prithviraj refuses to give up even at the cost of suspension[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms). A contemporary trade account describes the consequences: the officer and his family are threatened and mentally tortured, he is suspended from his job, and an attempt is made on his life. The opposition leader Sambhaji Yadav (Shivaji Satam), who has supported his mission to punish the chief minister's son, ultimately trades the chargesheet for the post of deputy chief minister. Finding himself on the losing end of the political game, the officer guns down the foes-turned-friends, the chief minister and his deputy[6](https://filminformation.com/flash-back/flashback-11-november-2025-from-our-issue-dated-11th-november-2000/).\n\n## Production and context\n\nKurukshetra was the second feature film pairing of director Mahesh Manjrekar with Sanjay Dutt after *Vaastav* (1999), though Dutt had earlier made a cameo in Manjrekar's *Nidaan*[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255309/). The screenplay and story are credited to Manjrekar, with dialogue by K.K. Singh and additional dialogue by Ravi Shankar Jaiswal[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255309/). Cinematography is credited to Vijay Kumar Arora and editing to V.N. Mayekar[7](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0255309/credits/).\n\nThe film ran into censorship trouble shortly after release. On 29 November 2000, Bollywood Hungama reported that the Censor Board, which had passed the film, decided to review its decision following a controversy: one board member walked out after an argument over violent scenes and dialogues, and producer Pravin Shah, having received a list of cuts, was informed that the film might be banned[8](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/kurukshetra-may-be-banned/).\n\n## Reception\n\nContemporary reviews were divided on the familiar material but generally praised the performances. The Times of India gave the film three and a half stars, calling the direction and performances \"extraordinarily good\" and singling out Om Puri and Shivaji Satam for executing characters as important as Dutt's, while noting that the storyline had been heard before and that the execution of the script made the difference[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms). Rediff's review placed the film in the \"average\" box-office category, describing it as steeped in clichés but noting that Manjrekar brought out the best in Dutt and that Om Puri's corrupt chief minister, laced with humor and arrogance, stood out from the type[9](https://www.rediff.com/entertai/2000/nov/10kuru.htm). Rediff also observed that the film drew on the 1973 [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) hit *Zanjeer* for inspiration, with Mukesh Rishi's role reprising, complete with dialogues, the part played by Pran in that film[9](https://www.rediff.com/entertai/2000/nov/10kuru.htm).\n\nThe trade paper Film Information called it \"the usual honest-cop-versus-corrupt-politicians story,\" judged Manjrekar's direction fair but capable of improvement, found the music by [Himesh Reshammiya](https://www.edgepedia.org/himesh-reshammiya) just about alright, and predicted the film would do well mainly in Bombay, Maharashtra, and small centers, having taken an ordinary start in several other circuits[6](https://filminformation.com/flash-back/flashback-11-november-2025-from-our-issue-dated-11th-november-2000/). Taran Adarsh's review for Bollywood Hungama rated it 2.5 out of 5, calling it an engrossing good-versus-evil film with winning performances, hard-hitting dialogues by K.K. Singh, and ample action, while faulting a talk-heavy second half[10](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kurukshetra/critic-review/kurukshetra-movie-review/).\n\n## Box office and legacy\n\nAccording to a Sacnilk figure cited by Amar Ujala on the film's silver jubilee, [Kurukshetra](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra) earned a total net collection of ₹110.2 million (₹11.02 crore) against a reported production cost of about ₹85 million (₹8.50 crore); the same account describes the film as average at the box office, without the popularity of *Vaastav*[5](https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/bollywood/sanjay-dutt-mahima-chaudhry-starrer-kurukshetra-completes-25-years-unknown-facts-from-sets-box-office-report-2025-11-08). [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) records a United States and Canada gross of $36,890, all from an opening weekend beginning 12 November 2000[7](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0255309/credits/).\n\nSanjay Dutt received a Screen Award nomination for Best Actor for the film in 2001; the award that year went to [Hrithik Roshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/hrithik-roshan) for *Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai*, while Dutt won Best Supporting Actor at the same ceremony for *Mission Kashmir*[5](https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/bollywood/sanjay-dutt-mahima-chaudhry-starrer-kurukshetra-completes-25-years-unknown-facts-from-sets-box-office-report-2025-11-08). An academic study of the Bollywood cop saga places Kurukshetra in the lineage of films about an erratic policeman who steps outside the system, noting that it frames the murder of politicians responsible for corruption as a just solution, with the closing public rally in support of the protagonist serving as a metaphor for an oversimplified solution gaining currency in the court of popular opinion[11](https://forum.nls.ac.in/slr-forum-blog/due-process-of-law-and-undue-regressions-of-the-spectacle-a-genealogy-of-indian-cinema/).\n\n## References\n\n1. [Kurukshetra (2000), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0255309/)\n2. [Kurukshetra Cast List, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kurukshetra/cast/)\n3. [Kurukshetra review, The Times of India (23 November 2000)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/kurukshetra/articleshow/1607104162.cms)\n4. [Kurukshetra streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/kurukshetra)\n5. [Kurukshetra completes 25 years, Amar Ujala (10 November 2025)](https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/bollywood/sanjay-dutt-mahima-chaudhry-starrer-kurukshetra-completes-25-years-unknown-facts-from-sets-box-office-report-2025-11-08)\n6. [FLASHBACK: From our issue dated 11th November 2000, Film Information](https://filminformation.com/flash-back/flashback-11-november-2025-from-our-issue-dated-11th-november-2000/)\n7. [Kurukshetra (2000) credits, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0255309/credits/)\n8. [Kurukshetra may be banned, Bollywood Hungama (29 November 2000)](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/kurukshetra-may-be-banned/)\n9. [The Kurukshetra Review, Rediff.com (10 November 2000)](https://www.rediff.com/entertai/2000/nov/10kuru.htm)\n10. [Kurukshetra Movie Review by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama (15 December 2000)](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kurukshetra/critic-review/kurukshetra-movie-review/)\n11. [Due Process of Law and Undue Regressions of the Spectacle, NLS Forum](https://forum.nls.ac.in/slr-forum-blog/due-process-of-law-and-undue-regressions-of-the-spectacle-a-genealogy-of-indian-cinema/)\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 2000s › Action and thriller films*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; 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/kurukshetra-2000-film", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film.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": "\"Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (2000 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (2000 film)](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (2000 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/kurukshetra-2000-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Kurukshetra, 2000 Hindi action drama by Mahesh Manjrekar starring Sanjay Dutt and Mahima Chaudhry; honest cop versus corrupt chief minister, released 10 November 2000, music by Himesh Reshammiya." }