# Gupt
**Gupt: The Hidden Truth** is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language murder mystery thriller directed, co-written, and edited by [Rajiv Rai](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajiv-rai), starring [Bobby Deol](https://www.edgepedia.org/bobby-deol), Manisha Koirala, and Kajol, in which a young man convicted of murdering his stepfather escapes from prison to find the real killer.[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) • [2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Gupt_The_Hidden_Truth?hl=en_GB&id=06EE0F24F7BB12A3MV) Produced by Gulshan Rai under the Trimurti Films banner, it was released on 4 July 1997 and became a commercial hit, and it is remembered above all for its concealed villain, played by Kajol, then one of [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema)'s leading actresses.[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) • [3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 4 July 1997, Hindi, produced by Gulshan Rai for Trimurti Films Pvt. Ltd.[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) |
| Lead cast | Bobby Deol as Sahil Sinha, Kajol as Isha Diwan, Manisha Koirala as Sheetal Choudhry, Raj Babbar as Governor Jaisingh Sinha[4](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/21906-gupt-the-hidden-truth?language=en-US) |
| Box office | India nett gross ₹182,300,000 against a budget of ₹95,000,000; worldwide gross ₹331.5 million; verdict Hit[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) |
| Music | Composed by Viju Shah with lyrics by Anand Bakshi; soundtrack released 4 July 1997 on Tips[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) • [5](https://music.apple.com/us/album/gupt-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1537463390) |
| Filmfare Awards | 8 nominations at the 43rd Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Director; 3 wins, including Best Villain[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Gupt_The_Hidden_Truth?hl=en_GB&id=06EE0F24F7BB12A3MV) |
| Distinction | Kajol became the first actress to win the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-on-playing-negative-role-in-gupt-it-was-a-gutsy-choice-8023098/lite/) |
| Runtime | Reported as 163 min by Box Office India, 2h 53m by Rotten Tomatoes, and 2h 35m by JustWatch[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gupt_1997) • [8](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/gupt-the-hidden-truth) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Sahil Sinha (Bobby Deol) is the stepson of Governor Jaisingh Sinha ([Raj Babbar](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-babbar)) and is in love with Isha (Kajol), a childhood friend, but the Governor insists that he marry Sheetal ([Manisha Koirala](https://www.edgepedia.org/manisha-koirala)), the daughter of a wealthy businessman.[9](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=2674) At Sahil's birthday party the Governor announces the marriage; Sahil confronts him and nearly stabs him before his mother stops him.[9](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=2674) • [10](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/gupt) The next day Sahil returns home drunk to find his stepfather stabbed to death.[10](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/gupt)
Witnesses, including Sahil's own mother, testify against him, and he is convicted and sentenced to life in prison rather than death.[9](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=2674) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gupt_1997) Proclaiming his innocence, Sahil escapes from jail and sets out to identify the real killer, pursued by Inspector Udham Singh ([Om Puri](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-puri)), a senior policeman described as never having failed to apprehend a fugitive.[9](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=2674) • [11](https://www.indya101.com/c/movies/overview/id_1166/Gupt) The killer is eventually revealed to be Isha, an obsessive lover of Sahil's who eliminates anyone she believes stands between them.[3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-on-playing-negative-role-in-gupt-it-was-a-gutsy-choice-8023098/lite/)
## Production
Rajiv Rai, who had directed the action films Tridev (1989), [Vishwatma](https://www.edgepedia.org/vishwatma) (1992), and Mohra (1994) for his father Gulshan Rai's Trimurti Films, wanted something different within the thriller genre after Mohra: a murder mystery with an element of surprise.[3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm) He began developing the story, which he describes as a completely original idea, before Mohra was released, first dictating it to an assistant and then working on the screenplay scene by scene with Shabbir Boxwala and on the dialogue with Naeem Sha.[3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm) Rai has said, "I would not have made Gupt without Kajol"; her casting as a psychopathic killer was a talking point at release, since she was known for romantic leads in films such as [Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge](https://www.edgepedia.org/dilwale-dulhania-le-jayenge) and Baazigar.[3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm)
The [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play) listing states that the plot is based on the novel *Good Children Don't Kill* by Louis Thomas, while Rai has described the story as original; the two accounts have not been reconciled.[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Gupt_The_Hidden_Truth?hl=en_GB&id=06EE0F24F7BB12A3MV) • [3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm)
## Music
The soundtrack was composed by Viju Shah, who had scored Rai's earlier films, with lyrics by [Anand Bakshi](https://www.edgepedia.org/anand-bakshi).[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) Songs include "Mushkil Bada Yeh Pyaar Hai" ([Alka Yagnik](https://www.edgepedia.org/alka-yagnik) and [Udit Narayan](https://www.edgepedia.org/udit-narayan)), the title track "Gupt Gupt" (Kavita Krishnamurthy), "Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela" (Udit Narayan and Suneeta Rao), and "Mere Sanam" (Sadhana Sargam and Udit Narayan).[12](https://www.planetbollywood.com/Music/gupt.html) Shah later said the music was not immediately understood in July 1997 and became popular after audiences saw the film, crediting Rai's picturisation with taking the songs to another level.[13](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/the-relevance-of-good-music-in-hindi-cinema-and-its-connection-with-box-office-numbers-music-composers-trade-experts-producers-weigh-in-exclusive/amp_articleshow/112225758.cms)
One song sequence drew contemporary press attention for its scale: the nightclub number that introduces Bobby Deol, choreographed by Chinni Prakash with 80 dancers, cost Rs 5 million (Rs 50 lakh), in an industry where extravagant songs were seen as essential to box-office and cassette sales.[14](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19970315-film-scripts-demand-extravagant-song-sequences-to-make-box-office-jingle-831176-1997-03-14)
## Reception and box office
Box Office India records the film as a Hit, with a first day of ₹9,600,000 on 250 screens, a first week of ₹5,34,50,000, a total India nett gross of ₹18,23,00,000, and footfalls of 17,486,000.[1](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674) Sacnilk lists an India nett of ₹181.1 million (₹18.11 crore) and a worldwide total of ₹331.5 million (₹33.15 crore) with a Hit verdict, closely matching Box Office India's figures.[15](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Gupt%3A_The_Hidden_Truth_1997?expand_article=1) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) notes that Gupt was among the highest-grossing Hindi films of 1997.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-birthday-the-time-she-turned-a-villain-and-her-secret-remained-gupt-7437904/)
At the 43rd [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards) the film received 8 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director, and won 3 awards, including Best Villain.[2](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Gupt_The_Hidden_Truth?hl=en_GB&id=06EE0F24F7BB12A3MV) Kajol's win made her the first actress to receive the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role, and Rai won the award for Best Editing.[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-on-playing-negative-role-in-gupt-it-was-a-gutsy-choice-8023098/lite/) • [3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm) Viju Shah did not win Best Music; the category that year went to [Dil To Pagal Hai](https://www.edgepedia.org/dil-to-pagal-hai), which he acknowledged was deserved.[17](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/25-years-gupt-exclusive-didnt-feel-bad-not-winning-filmfare-dil-pagal-hai-won-best-music-category-year-deserved-viju-shah/)
## Legacy
The film is frequently cited as one of the best suspense thrillers of Hindi cinema, and its concealed female villain was unusual for mainstream 1990s Bollywood.[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-on-playing-negative-role-in-gupt-it-was-a-gutsy-choice-8023098/lite/) • [16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-birthday-the-time-she-turned-a-villain-and-her-secret-remained-gupt-7437904/) Rajiv Rai was attacked in July 1997, shortly after the film's release, left India, and did not direct again for years; he has declined to make a Gupt sequel, saying he would not be comfortable returning to his earlier style.[18](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/at-70-im-excited-to-kick-off-my-3rd-innings/20250731.htm) • [3](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm)
The soundtrack has had a second life. "Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela" was used prominently in the climax of the Netflix series *The Ba***ds of Bollywood*, created by Aryan Khan, which premiered on 18 September 2025; within four days the song gained more than 5 million new YouTube views, and Rai credited the show's creator for its renewed success.[19](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-gupt-director-rajeev-rai-credits-aryan-khan-for-duniya-haseeno-ka-melas-comeback-just-so-happy-for-him-101758780463906.html) The film remains available on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.[8](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/gupt-the-hidden-truth)
## References
1. [Gupt, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2674)
2. [Gupt: The Hidden Truth, Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Gupt_The_Hidden_Truth?hl=en_GB&id=06EE0F24F7BB12A3MV)
3. [Rajiv Rai: 'Grateful to be alive, I want to work', Rediff.com (2022)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/rajiv-rai-grateful-to-be-alive-i-want-to-work/20220725.htm)
4. [Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/21906-gupt-the-hidden-truth?language=en-US)
5. [Gupt (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/gupt-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1537463390)
6. [Kajol on playing negative role in Gupt: It was a gutsy choice, The Indian Express (2022)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-on-playing-negative-role-in-gupt-it-was-a-gutsy-choice-8023098/lite/)
7. [Gupt (1997), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gupt_1997)
8. [Gupt: The Hidden Truth streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/gupt-the-hidden-truth)
9. [Gupt synopsis, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=2674)
10. [Gupt (1997), Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/gupt)
11. [Gupt overview, Indya101](https://www.indya101.com/c/movies/overview/id_1166/Gupt)
12. [Music Review: Gupt, Planet Bollywood](https://www.planetbollywood.com/Music/gupt.html)
13. [The relevance of good music in Hindi cinema, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/the-relevance-of-good-music-in-hindi-cinema-and-its-connection-with-box-office-numbers-music-composers-trade-experts-producers-weigh-in-exclusive/amp_articleshow/112225758.cms)
14. [Film scripts demand extravagant song sequences to make box office jingle, India Today (1997)](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/films/story/19970315-film-scripts-demand-extravagant-song-sequences-to-make-box-office-jingle-831176-1997-03-14)
15. [Gupt: The Hidden Truth box office, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Gupt%3A_The_Hidden_Truth_1997?expand_article=1)
16. [When Kajol turned a villain and her secret remained 'gupt', The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-birthday-the-time-she-turned-a-villain-and-her-secret-remained-gupt-7437904/)
17. [25 Years of Gupt: Viju Shah interview, Bollywood Hungama (2022)](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/25-years-gupt-exclusive-didnt-feel-bad-not-winning-filmfare-dil-pagal-hai-won-best-music-category-year-deserved-viju-shah/)
18. ['At 70, I'm Excited To Kick Off My 3rd Innings', Rediff.com (2025)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/at-70-im-excited-to-kick-off-my-3rd-innings/20250731.htm)
19. [Gupt director Rajeev Rai credits Aryan Khan for Duniya Haseeno Ka Mela's comeback, Hindustan Times (2025)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-gupt-director-rajeev-rai-credits-aryan-khan-for-duniya-haseeno-ka-melas-comeback-just-so-happy-for-him-101758780463906.html)
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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 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license