# Daraar (दरार)
**Daraar** (दरार; transl. Rift) is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic psychological thriller directed by the duo Abbas–Mustan and starring [Rishi Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/rishi-kapoor), Juhi Chawla, and [Arbaaz Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/arbaaz-khan) in his feature film debut.[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) It was released in India on 5 July 1996.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) The film follows a woman who escapes her abusive, possessive husband by faking her death and starting a new life in Shimla, only for him to track her down after she falls in love with another man.[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 5 July 1996 (India), Hindi language[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) |
| Directors | Abbas Alibhai Burmawalla and Mastan Alibhai Burmawalla (Abbas–Mustan)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) |
| Lead cast | Rishi Kapoor (Raj Malhotra), Juhi Chawla (Priya Bhatia), Arbaaz Khan (Vikram)[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) |
| Key crew | Producer Sujit Kumar; story and screenplay Sachin Bhowmick; dialogue Aadesh K. Arjun; music Anu Malik[3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2780) |
| Source material | Inspired by the 1991 American thriller *Sleeping with the Enemy*[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) |
| Box office | India net ₹65 million (₹6.5 crore), worldwide ₹105 million (₹10.5 crore); verdict "Below Average" (Sacnilk) or "Flop" (Box Office India)[4](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Daraar_1996) • [5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780) |
| Major award | Filmfare Award for Best Actor in a Villainous Role, 1997, to Arbaaz Khan[6](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Vikram (Arbaaz Khan) is a violent, obsessively possessive husband who cannot control his rage and repeatedly beats his new wife, Priya ([Juhi Chawla](https://www.edgepedia.org/juhi-chawla)).[5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780) During a boat trip to celebrate her birthday, the boat is caught in a storm and Priya escapes; Vikram believes she has drowned, but she swims ashore and runs away to Shimla to begin a new life.[5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780)
In Shimla she meets Raj Malhotra (Rishi Kapoor), a wealthy man who falls in love with her.[5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780) When her mother advises her to tell him the truth about her past, Priya writes a letter explaining her abusive marriage and entrusts it to Raj's servant Hari ([Johnny Lever](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-lever)), who misplaces it and has a substitute letter containing only a poem delivered instead.[5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780) Raj learns of the earlier marriage from Priya's mother and leaves her in anger; the misunderstanding is resolved only when Hari finds the original letter, after which Raj forgives her and decides to marry her.[7](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/daraar/2030348343/) Vikram, discovering that Priya is alive, traces the couple to Shimla, tries to kill Raj, has him jailed, and goes after Priya.[7](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/daraar/2030348343/) In the climax, Raj drowns Vikram in a bathtub, and when Vikram attacks the couple again at a railway station, his foot becomes stuck on the track; seeing Priya try to save him despite his abuse, he pushes her away before a train hits him, saying that she is free.[8](https://www.moviebuff.com/daraar)
## Production and casting
Daraar was produced by [Sujit Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sujit-kumar) under the banner Shree Shiv Bhakti Films, with Venus Records & Tapes also credited as a production company.[3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2780) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) Sachin Bhowmick wrote the story and screenplay and Aadesh K. Arjun wrote the dialogue; the lyrics were by Shaheen Iqbal, Rani Malik, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Rahat Indori, and [Hasrat Jaipuri](https://www.edgepedia.org/hasrat-jaipuri).[3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2780) Thomas A. Xavier was the cinematographer and Sandeep Chowta and [Anu Malik](https://www.edgepedia.org/anu-malik) are credited as composers.[8](https://www.moviebuff.com/daraar)
The film marked the feature debut of Arbaaz Khan, younger sibling of [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan).[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) • [9](https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.movies.local.indian/c/2SHHAmGtWoA) In a 1997 Rediff interview, Abbas and Mustan said they had known Arbaaz for some time, felt he suited the role, and wanted a new face that could work both as hero and as villain.[10](https://m.rediff.com/movies/apr/04abms.htm) According to a later account, the duo had earlier wanted to launch Arbaaz in *Khiladi* and then in *Baazigar*, but he felt he was not ready; Arbaaz himself told *The Indian Express* that he had been offered [Akshay Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshay-kumar)'s role in *Khiladi* but could not take it because he was signed with another director.[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/arbaaz-khan-reveals-abbas-mustan-offered-him-akshay-kumar-role-in-khiladi-9160814/lite/)
## Source material and the Sleeping with the Enemy cycle
The film's story is inspired by the 1991 American thriller *Sleeping with the Enemy*, and it was one of three Hindi adaptations of that material made around the same time, alongside *Yaraana* (1995) and *Agnisakshi* (1996).[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) A contemporary review in *The Link* described *Daraar* as completing "the trilogy of the desi versions of Sleeping With The Enemy".[9](https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.movies.local.indian/c/2SHHAmGtWoA) Film scholar Gohar Siddiqui of Clark University treats *Yaraana*, *Agnisakshi*, and *Daraar* as a cycle of domestic-abuse films released within two years, arguing that their shared plot centers domestic violence and carries a critique of patriarchy.[12](https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_visual_performing_arts/25/)
The directors disputed the remake label. In the Rediff interview they said that when the writer of *Daraar* narrated the story, he told them he had been inspired by *A Kiss Before Dying*, and that they deliberately avoided watching the English version so as not to be influenced by it; they also said that when they began shooting *Daraar*, *Agni Sakshi* had not yet gone on the floors and they had never seen it.[10](https://m.rediff.com/movies/apr/04abms.htm) In a separate interview, Mustan said that when a script is adapted from Hollywood they make sure not to watch the original, and that during the making of *Daraar* and *Baazigar* they avoided *Sleeping With The Enemy* and *A Kiss Before Dying*.[13](https://santabanta.com/cinema/bollywood/star-talk/beyond-sexual-harassment-abbas-mustan-3540/)
## Music
The music was composed by Anu Malik, with popular tracks including "Ye Pyar Pyar Kya Hai" and "Deewana Deewana".[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar) The soundtrack album was released in 1996 on Ishtar Music.[14](https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/daraar-anu-malik/8904228505304)
## Reception and box office
Contemporary response was mixed. The *Link* review praised Juhi Chawla's performance, saying she conveyed "a natural vulnerability and an innocence", but criticized the film for straying from its main theme and for a climax that undercut the character's stance against her husband.[9](https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.movies.local.indian/c/2SHHAmGtWoA) Later aggregators record an IMDb user rating of 5.3/10 from 679 votes.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/)
The film underperformed commercially. Sacnilk reports a budget of ₹52 million (₹5.20 crore), India net collections of ₹65 million (₹6.50 crore), India gross of ₹100 million (₹10.00 crore), overseas of ₹5 million (₹0.50 crore), and a worldwide total of ₹105 million (₹10.50 crore), with a verdict of "Below Average".[4](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Daraar_1996) Box Office India lists a budget of ₹45 million (₹4.50 crore), a total net gross of ₹62.8 million (₹6.28 crore) on 155 screens, and classifies the film as a "Flop".[5](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780) B4U's profile likewise says the film was declared a flop despite a moderate budget of approximately ₹45 million (₹4.5 crore).[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar)
The film's lasting reputation rests on Arbaaz Khan's performance as the abusive husband, which won the [Filmfare Award for Best Actor](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-actor) in a Villainous Role at the 42nd Annual Filmfare Awards (winners of the year 1997), where Juhi Chawla was nominated for Best Actress.[6](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/daraar/2030348343/) B4U describes the role as a bold debut that remains well regarded.[1](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar)
## Versions and runtime
Reported runtimes differ substantially across databases: IMDb lists 105 minutes, Box Office India 169 minutes, Rotten Tomatoes 2h 55m, and one catalog entry 175 minutes.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/) • [3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2780) • [15](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/daraar) The Times of India lists a certified runtime of 2 hours 3 minutes with a UA certificate.[16](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/daraar/movieshow/61338452.cms) The film was later featured in the 2015 film *Dilwale*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/)
## References
1. [DARAAR, B4U Entertainment](https://b4uentertainment.com/b4u-plus-uae/daraar)
2. [Daraar (1996), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116024/)
3. [Daraar cast and credits, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2780)
4. [Daraar (1996) box office, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Daraar_1996)
5. [Daraar movie page, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2780)
6. [Filmfare Awards Winners List (1954–Present), Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners)
7. [Daraar – Where to Watch and Stream, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/daraar/2030348343/)
8. [Daraar, Moviebuff](https://www.moviebuff.com/daraar)
9. [DARAAR film review, The Link (July 1996), via rec.arts.movies.local.indian](https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.movies.local.indian/c/2SHHAmGtWoA)
10. [Filmmakers Abbas and Mastan interview, Rediff On The Net (April 1997)](https://m.rediff.com/movies/apr/04abms.htm)
11. [Arbaaz Khan reveals Abbas-Mustan offered him Akshay Kumar's role in Khiladi, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/arbaaz-khan-reveals-abbas-mustan-offered-him-akshay-kumar-role-in-khiladi-9160814/lite/)
12. [Gohar Siddiqui, "Behind her laughter…is fear!" Domestic abuse and transnational feminism in Bollywood remakes, Jump Cut (2013)](https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_visual_performing_arts/25/)
13. [Beyond Sexual Harassment: Abbas-Mustan interview, SantaBanta](https://santabanta.com/cinema/bollywood/star-talk/beyond-sexual-harassment-abbas-mustan-3540/)
14. [Daraar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Anu Malik, Qobuz](https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/daraar-anu-malik/8904228505304)
15. [Daraar, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/daraar)
16. [Daraar movie details, Times of India eTimes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/daraar/movieshow/61338452.cms)
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*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 1990s › Action and thriller films › Released 1996 to 1999*
*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*
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