# Ittefaq (इत्तेफ़ाक़) (2017 film)
**Ittefaq** (इत्तेफ़ाक़; "coincidence") is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language suspense thriller directed by Abhay Chopra, starring [Sidharth Malhotra](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidharth-malhotra), Sonakshi Sinha, and [Akshaye Khanna](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshaye-khanna), and adapted from the 1969 film of the same name directed by [Yash Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/yash-chopra).[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017) • [2](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html) It was released on 3 November 2017 and was jointly produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, Dharma Productions, and BR Films.[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017) • [2](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 3 November 2017, Hindi-language thriller[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017) |
| Director / writers | Abhay Chopra; written by Abhay Chopra, Shreyas Jain, and Nikhil Mehrotra[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017) |
| Cast | Sidharth Malhotra as Vikram Sethi, Sonakshi Sinha as Maya Sinha, Akshaye Khanna as Dev Verma[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/cast/) |
| Producers | Renu Ravi Chopra, Gauri Khan, Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar; banners Red Chillies Entertainment, BR Films, Dharma Productions[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/cast/) |
| Basis | Adaptation of the 1969 film Ittefaq, directed by Yash Chopra and produced by B.R. Chopra[2](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html) |
| Runtime | 107 minutes, songless[4](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ittefaq/reviews/) |
| India box office | Opening day ₹40.5 million (₹4.05 crore); lifetime India net total ₹302.1 million (₹30.21 crore)[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/box-office/) |
| Critical reception | 91% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 11 reviews[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Dev Verma (Akshaye Khanna), a police officer, investigates a double murder case with only two witnesses, who are also the prime suspects: Vikram Sethi (Sidharth Malhotra), an acclaimed writer, and Maya Sinha ([Sonakshi Sinha](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonakshi-sinha)), a young homemaker. The two give different narratives about the events of the night, and Dev must determine which version is true.[1](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017)
In the film's setup, Vikram, a UK-based Indian author in Mumbai for his book launch, is accused of murdering his wife [Katherine](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine), found dead in their hotel room. Fleeing the police, he takes refuge in the home of a stranger, Maya, whose lawyer husband Shekhar Sinha is found murdered that same night, and Vikram is accused of killing him too.[7](https://filminformation.com/reviews/ittefaq/) Dev has three days to solve the two murder cases.[7](https://filminformation.com/reviews/ittefaq/) Reviewers noted the film's Rashomon-like structure, in which both suspects offer equally convincing but opposite accounts of the night.[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-1076244-2017-11-03)
## Relationship to the 1969 film
The 1969 [Ittefaq](https://www.edgepedia.org/ittefaq-1969-film), directed by Yash Chopra and produced by B.R. Chopra, starred [Rajesh Khanna](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajesh-khanna) and Nanda and told the story of a man charged with murder who flees the law and becomes entangled in a second murder he did not commit, all within a single night.[9](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq) The 2017 film keeps this skeletal structure but adds more plot twists and a changed climax.[10](https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/ittefaq-movie-review-akshaye-khanna) • [11](https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/sidharth-malhotra-kicks-off-shooting-for-ittefaq-remake/articleshow/56994978.cms)
The makers and cast described the film as an adaptation rather than a remake. Sidharth Malhotra said, "We are not remaking it. We are adapting it to look more engaging in today's time. 'Ittefaq' is a true homage to the murder mystery genre."[2](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html) The lineage runs further back: the 1969 film was itself an adaptation of the British film *Signpost to Murder* (1965), based on Monte Doyle's play of the same name.[12](https://amp.scroll.in/article/843320/ittefaq-movie-is-a-classic-case-of-being-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time)
Abhay Chopra, the director, is the grandson of B.R. Chopra, who produced the original, and the nephew of Yash Chopra, who directed it.[2](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html)
## Production and promotion
Shooting began in Mumbai in February 2017 with a night schedule, with German cinematographer Michal Luka conducting look tests with Malhotra before the shoot started.[11](https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/sidharth-malhotra-kicks-off-shooting-for-ittefaq-remake/articleshow/56994978.cms) [Shah Rukh Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shah-rukh-khan), whose [Red Chillies Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-chillies-entertainment) co-produced the film, visited the set on the first day and gave creative inputs.[13](https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/pdf/20170221_1487704268-9307.pdf)
**No-promotion strategy.** The team deliberately avoided conventional promotion: no trailer launch event, no reality-show appearances, and no media interviews. Producer [Karan Johar](https://www.edgepedia.org/karan-johar) explained that the aim was to protect the film's intrigue and mystery, saying that with this film "less is more."[14](https://www.peepingmoon.com/entertainment-news/news/13825/With-a-film-like-Ittefaq-less-is-more-Karan-Johar.html) The only promotional material was a theatrical unit and a remixed version of the old song "Raat baaki," shot on the three leads.[14](https://www.peepingmoon.com/entertainment-news/news/13825/With-a-film-like-Ittefaq-less-is-more-Karan-Johar.html)
Like the 1969 original, the film is songless, which several reviewers cited as a strength that let the background score heighten the tension.[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-1076244-2017-11-03) • [15](https://cinemasangeet.com/bollywood-films/reviews/ittefaq.html)
## Reception
**Critical response.** The film received generally positive reviews, with a 91% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes from 11 reviews and a 77% audience score from more than 250 ratings.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017) Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express called it "that rare Bollywood creature: a smart, gripping whodunit which keeps us guessing" and rated it 3 out of 5.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017) • [16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-film-star-rating-4918884/lite/) Reviewers across outlets consistently singled out Akshaye Khanna's performance as the investigating officer; India Today wrote that "it is Akshaye Khanna who is the star of the film," and Firstpost later called him "the real star of Ittefaq."[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-1076244-2017-11-03) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017)
Criticism focused on the climax and pacing. Rajeev Masand found the film "crisp at 107 minutes, but not particularly brisk," judging the big climactic twist "entirely unconvincing."[17](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/ittefaq/) NDTV rated it 2.5 out of 5, calling it watchable but not consistently tense.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017) An IANS review was sharply negative, giving one and a half stars and arguing the film fell far short of the original.[18](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-desecrating-a-classic-film-review-117110400018_1.html)
**Box office.** The film opened to ₹40.5 million (₹4.05 crore) in India on its first day and earned ₹160.5 million (₹16.05 crore) over its opening weekend. Collections declined sharply after the first week, and the lifetime India net total was ₹302.1 million (₹30.21 crore).[5](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/box-office/) Its gross in the United States was $298,000.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017) A contemporaneous trade roundup described the film's November business as decent.[19](https://www.millenniumpost.in/epaper/delhi/2017-12-24/epaper-delhi24december2017.pdf)
## Awards
The film received six nominations. At the Zee Cine Awards 2018 it was nominated for the Technical Award for Best Post-Production (editor Nitin Baid and visual effects supervisor Shobhit Garg) and for Jury's Choice Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Akshaye Khanna), Best Negative Role (Sidharth Malhotra), and Best Debut Director (Abhay Chopra). Akshaye Khanna was also nominated for a Screen Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Nitin Baid for an FOI Online Award for Best Film Editing.[20](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6692354/awards/)
## References
1. [Ittefaq (2017), Yash Raj Films](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq-2017)
2. ['Ittefaq' an adaptation, not a remake: Sidharth Malhotra, IANS via Business Standard (4 March 2017)](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-an-adaptation-not-a-remake-sidharth-malhotra-117030400551_1.html)
3. [Ittefaq Cast & Crew, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/cast/)
4. [Ittefaq - Critics Reviews, Bollywood.com](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ittefaq/reviews/)
5. [Ittefaq Box Office Collection, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ittefaq-3/box-office/)
6. [Ittefaq (2017), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ittefaq_2017)
7. [ITTEFAQ review, Komal Nahta, Film Information (4 November 2017)](https://filminformation.com/reviews/ittefaq/)
8. [Ittefaq Movie Review, India Today (3 November 2017)](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-1076244-2017-11-03)
9. [Ittefaq (1969), Yash Raj Films](https://www.yashrajfilms.com/movies/ittefaq)
10. ['Ittefaq' Review: Well-Paced but Not So Edge-of-the-Seat After All, The Quint (3 November 2017)](https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/ittefaq-movie-review-akshaye-khanna)
11. [Sidharth Malhotra kicks off shooting for Ittefaq remake, Mumbai Mirror (6 February 2017)](https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/sidharth-malhotra-kicks-off-shooting-for-ittefaq-remake/articleshow/56994978.cms)
12. [The other 'Ittefaq' before the one starring Siddharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha and Akshaye Khanna, Scroll.in (4 October 2017)](https://amp.scroll.in/article/843320/ittefaq-movie-is-a-classic-case-of-being-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time)
13. ['Ittefaq' shoot begins with SRK on set, The Peninsula Qatar (22 February 2017)](https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/pdf/20170221_1487704268-9307.pdf)
14. [With a film like 'Ittefaq', less is more: Karan Johar, PeepingMoon (11 October 2017)](https://www.peepingmoon.com/entertainment-news/news/13825/With-a-film-like-Ittefaq-less-is-more-Karan-Johar.html)
15. [Ittefaq review, Cinema Sangeet](https://cinemasangeet.com/bollywood-films/reviews/ittefaq.html)
16. [Ittefaq movie review, Shubhra Gupta, The Indian Express (4 November 2017)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/ittefaq-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-sonakshi-sinha-film-star-rating-4918884/lite/)
17. [Ittefaq (2017) Movie Review, TheReviewMonk](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/ittefaq/)
18. ['Ittefaq': Desecrating a classic (Film review), IANS via Business Standard (4 November 2017)](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/ittefaq-desecrating-a-classic-film-review-117110400018_1.html)
19. [Millennium Post e-paper, 24 December 2017](https://www.millenniumpost.in/epaper/delhi/2017-12-24/epaper-delhi24december2017.pdf)
20. [Ittefaq (2017) - Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6692354/awards/)
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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 2010s › Hindi films of 2017*
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