{ "id": "ep3exqzxmw", "slug": "the-great-gambler", "title": "The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर)", "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": "The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर, Sabse Bada Juaari) is a 1979 Hindi action thriller by Shakti Samanta, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a double role as gambler Jai and Inspector Vijay, with Zeenat Aman and R.D. Burman's music.", "snippet": "The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर, Sabse Bada Juaari) is a 1979 Hindi action thriller by Shakti Samanta, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a double role as gambler Jai and Inspector Vijay, with Zeenat Aman and R.D. Burman's music.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.hindi-films-of-the-1970s.yr-1976-1979", "markdown": "# The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर)\n\n**The Great Gambler** (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर; also known by the Hindi title *Sabse Bada Juaari*, सबसे बड़ा जुआरी) is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language action thriller directed by Shakti Samanta and produced by C. V. K. Sastry for Associated Films & Finance Corporation[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-great-gambler). [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) plays a double role as the gambler Jai and the police inspector Vijay, who look exactly alike, and the plot turns on Jai's gambling skills being used, without his knowledge, to obtain military secrets[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/). The film's music was composed by Rahul Dev Burman with lyrics by [Anand Bakshi](https://www.edgepedia.org/anand-bakshi)[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944).\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | The Great Gambler (सबसे बड़ा जुआरी, Sabse Bada Juaari)[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-great-gambler) |\n| Director / producer | Shakti Samanta; produced by C. V. K. Sastry, Associated Films & Finance Corporation[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944) |\n| Lead roles | Amitabh Bachchan in a double role as gambler Jai and CID Inspector Vijay[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/) |\n| Music | Rahul Dev Burman; lyrics Anand Bakshi[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944) |\n| Censor record | Certificate A, number 4515, dated 15/03/1979; 18 reels, 35 mm, 4,736.40 meters[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the) |\n| Filming locations | Significant portions shot in Cairo, Lisbon, Rome, and Venice[5](https://aos.ro/wp-content/anale/FPVol9Nr1-2Art.8.pdf) |\n| Audience rating | 6.4/10 on IMDb (about 825 votes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nJai is an expert gambler who works for the underworld, gambling against rich and influential people and winning large sums for his employers[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/). A crooked casino owner discovers him and hires him to play against wealthy businessmen, and Jai is then drawn into a larger scheme that includes an arranged marriage to Mala, the daughter of a wealthy man[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-great-gambler). Without realizing it, he is used as a pawn to retrieve military secrets from a government worker[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-great-gambler).\n\nThe official press booklet synopsis, as reproduced by Cinemaazi, frames the story as an espionage problem: valuable military secrets are being passed to foreign powers, and Maj. Gen. Sen Varma is pressed to unravel the matter. A Secret Service agent is deputed to Rome, while the racketeer Kundan Sharma sends his henchman Ramesh to foil the government's investigation, enlisting the night club dancer Shabnam to accompany him[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the).\n\n**The double role.** When the police learn of the affair, they assign CID Inspector Vijay, who happens to look exactly like Jai, to track him down[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-great-gambler). The complication is that Vijay has no gambling skills of his own, which could give him away, and both men are mistaken for each other by the underworld, by their colleagues, and even by the police[7](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/The_Great_Gambler?id=5TTxiZFIorU.P). The chase takes the two look-alikes to Lisbon and Rome, where, in the press booklet's summary, both ultimately succeed in unraveling the secret and bringing the racketeer Ratandas to book[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the).\n\n### Cast and characters\n\nBachchan's dual casting as Jai and Inspector Vijay is the film's structural centerpiece[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/). Around him, the credited roles are [Zeenat Aman](https://www.edgepedia.org/zeenat-aman) as Shabnam, Neetu Singh as Mala, Prem Chopra as Ramesh (also called Abbasi), Utpal Dutt as Saxena, Madan Puri as Ratan Das, Om Shivpuri as Sen Verma, Iftekhar as Deepchand, Sujit Kumar as Marconi, Roopesh Kumar as Sethi, Helen as the dancer Monica, Jagdish Raj as Nath, and [Madhu Malhotra](https://www.edgepedia.org/madhu-malhotra) as Madhu, Jai's sister[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-great-gambler/cast/2030330953/).\n\n## Production\n\nThe film was made under the banner Associated Films & Finance Corporation with C. V. K. Sastry as producer[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944). The story is credited to [Vikramaditya](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikramaditya), the screenplay to Ranjan Bose, and the dialogues to Vrajendra Gaur, with Samanta also credited on the scenario[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the). Aloke Dasgupta was the cinematographer, Pran Mehra the editor, Shanti Das the art director, and M. B. Shetty the action director[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944) • [4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the).\n\n**International shooting.** The production had high costs, with significant portions shot in international locations including Cairo, Lisbon, Rome, and Venice[5](https://aos.ro/wp-content/anale/FPVol9Nr1-2Art.8.pdf). IMDb lists Lisbon, Portugal, among its filming locations[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/).\n\nA behind-the-scenes episode from the Goa schedule entered Hindi film lore: in 1979, while Bachchan and Amjad Khan were shooting for the film in Goa, Khan was in a car accident while driving his family to Mumbai, injured, and pulled his wife and children from the vehicle himself before being taken for treatment[9](https://www.jansatta.com/entertainment/amitabh-bachchan-amjad-khan-kissa-gabbar-singh-fame-went-into-a-coma-after-the-accident-amitabh-reached-the-hospital-while-running-was-taken-by-chartered-plane-to-mumbai/1784173/lite/).\n\n## Music\n\nRahul Dev Burman composed the score and Anand Bakshi wrote the lyrics[1](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944). The soundtrack's best-remembered number is the romantic duet \"Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani,\" filmed on Bachchan and Zeenat Aman; the NDTV India account of the film says the song remained as popular decades later as it was at release[10](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/when-amitabh-bachchan-and-zeenat-aman-the-great-gambler-was-considered-by-the-audience-to-be-an-english-film-the-title-had-to-be-changed-3656364). The same account reports that the song's melody is considered inspired by an Italian tune heard on the album *Autumn Leaves*[10](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/when-amitabh-bachchan-and-zeenat-aman-the-great-gambler-was-considered-by-the-audience-to-be-an-english-film-the-title-had-to-be-changed-3656364).\n\nThe song list on Gadgets 360 includes the title track sung by [R. D. Burman](https://www.edgepedia.org/r-d-burman) with Annette, \"Pahle Pahle Pyar Ki Mulaqaten\" ([Kishore Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/kishore-kumar) and [Asha Bhosle](https://www.edgepedia.org/asha-bhosle)), \"Raqqasa Mera Naam\" (Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle), \"Tum Kitne Din Baad Mile,\" \"O Diwanon Dil Sambhalo,\" and two versions of \"Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani,\" one sung by Bachchan himself with Asha Bhosle[11](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/the-great-gambler-movie-116642). Zeenat Aman has recalled on social media that a shiny dress worn during the shooting of one of the film's songs caused her real difficulties on set[12](https://hindi.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/this-song-of-zeenat-aman-was-shot-47-years-ago-the-shiny-dress-had-increased-the-difficulties-for-the-actress-article-2382034.html/amp).\n\n## Release and reception\n\nThe censor certificate was issued on 15 March 1979 with an A (adults only) rating[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the). Release dates differ across databases: IMDb, Gadgets 360, and Digit Binge give 6 April 1979 for India[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/) • [11](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/the-great-gambler-movie-116642) • [13](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/the-great-gambler-5697.html), while Blu-ray.com and FlixPatrol list 15 March 1979[14](https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Great-Gambler/1289696/) • [15](https://flixpatrol.com/title/the-great-gambler/).\n\nReported runtimes also vary by source: 161 minutes on IMDb[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/), 162 minutes on [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch)[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-great-gambler), 163 minutes on Blu-ray.com[14](https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Great-Gambler/1289696/), and 167 minutes on Cinemaazi[4](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the).\n\nAn anecdote recorded by NDTV India holds that when the film released in 1979, many prospective moviegoers hesitated to go to the cinemas because they assumed from its English title that it was an English film, and the title had to be changed into Hindi[10](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/when-amitabh-bachchan-and-zeenat-aman-the-great-gambler-was-considered-by-the-audience-to-be-an-english-film-the-title-had-to-be-changed-3656364). On IMDb the film holds a 6.4/10 rating from about 825 users[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/), and Rotten Tomatoes records a 69% audience score from more than 250 ratings with no critic reviews counted on the Tomatometer[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-great-gambler).\n\n## Availability\n\nThe film has circulated widely on home video and streaming. In the United States, JustWatch listed it in 2026 as streaming on Eternal Family and free with ads on Tubi TV, rentable or purchasable on the Apple TV Store, and available on Blu-ray[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-great-gambler). In India it has streamed on Prime Video and [MX Player](https://www.edgepedia.org/mx-player)[13](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/the-great-gambler-5697.html), and Netflix has carried the title in some regions, though not continuously in the United States[16](https://www.netflix.com/title/81213898). Shemaroo [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment) declares itself the distributor holding rights secured from the producer[17](https://tv.apple.com/ua/movie/the-great-gambler/umc.cmc.4ez59q91jqjg99n96xeec61uq).\n\n## References\n\n1. [Sastry, C. V. K. (Producer), Great Gambler, The, 1979 – Song-Synopsis Booklet, Tuli Research Centre for India Studies](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/utpal-dutt/research-centre/library/great-gambler-the-1979-cinema-song-synopsis-booklet-1944)\n2. [The Great Gambler streaming: where to watch online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-great-gambler)\n3. [The Great Gambler (1979), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079236/)\n4. [The Great Gambler (1979) – Movie Details, Cinemaazi](https://www.cinemaazi.com/public/film/great-gambler--the)\n5. [A Love Story of Fantasy and Fascination: Exigency of Indian Cinema in Nigeria, Anale Universității Spiru Haret](https://aos.ro/wp-content/anale/FPVol9Nr1-2Art.8.pdf)\n6. [The Great Gambler, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-great-gambler)\n7. [The Great Gambler, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/The_Great_Gambler?id=5TTxiZFIorU.P)\n8. [The Great Gambler – Full Cast & Crew, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-great-gambler/cast/2030330953/)\n9. [अमिताभ बच्चन-अमजद खान किस्सा, Jansatta](https://www.jansatta.com/entertainment/amitabh-bachchan-amjad-khan-kissa-gabbar-singh-fame-went-into-a-coma-after-the-accident-amitabh-reached-the-hospital-while-running-was-taken-by-chartered-plane-to-mumbai/1784173/lite/)\n10. [जब दर्शकों ने इस फिल्म को समझा इंग्लिश फिल्म, NDTV India](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/when-amitabh-bachchan-and-zeenat-aman-the-great-gambler-was-considered-by-the-audience-to-be-an-english-film-the-title-had-to-be-changed-3656364)\n11. [The Great Gambler Movie (1979), Gadgets 360](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/the-great-gambler-movie-116642)\n12. [Cinema Ka Flashback: जीनत अमान के गाने की शूटिंग, Moneycontrol Hindi](https://hindi.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/this-song-of-zeenat-aman-was-shot-47-years-ago-the-shiny-dress-had-increased-the-difficulties-for-the-actress-article-2382034.html/amp)\n13. [The Great Gambler Movie (1979), Digit Binge](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/the-great-gambler-5697.html)\n14. [The Great Gambler 1979, Blu-ray.com](https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Great-Gambler/1289696/)\n15. [The Great Gambler, FlixPatrol](https://flixpatrol.com/title/the-great-gambler/)\n16. [Watch The Great Gambler, Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81213898)\n17. [The Great Gambler, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/ua/movie/the-great-gambler/umc.cmc.4ez59q91jqjg99n96xeec61uq)\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 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 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/the-great-gambler", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler.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": "\"The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर)](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"The Great Gambler (द ग्रेट गैम्बलर)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-gambler. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "The Great Gambler is a 1979 Hindi action thriller by Shakti Samanta, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a double role as gambler Jai and Inspector Vijay, with Zeenat Aman and R.D." }