# Naam (1986 film)
**Naam** (नाम; "Name") is a 1986 Hindi-language crime thriller directed by [Mahesh Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-bhatt), written by [Salim Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salim-khan), and produced by Kumar Gaurav under the banner Aryan Films, with [Rajendra Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajendra-kumar) as presenter[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). It stars Nutan, Kumar Gaurav, Sanjay Dutt, Poonam Dhillon, Amrita Singh, and Paresh Rawal, and follows a young man from a poor Mumbai family who leaves India for Dubai, falls into the hands of a smuggler, and dies at the hands of the police[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). The film was a commercial success, ranked among the highest-grossing Hindi films of 1986, and is remembered above all for the song "Chitthi Aayi Hai", which BBC Radio later selected as one of the 100 Songs of the Millennium[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 12 September 1986 per Bollywood Hungama and Indian Film History; IMDb lists 30 August 1986 (India)[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/) • [4](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/naam) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/) |
| Director / writer | Mahesh Bhatt; story, screenplay, and dialogue by Salim Khan[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/) |
| Production | Aryan Films; producer Kumar Gaurav; presented by Rajendra Kumar[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986) |
| Music | Laxmikant–Pyarelal; lyrics by Anand Bakshi; "Chitthi Aayi Hai" sung by Pankaj Udhas[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986) • [4](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/naam) |
| Runtime | 2 hours 57 minutes (177 minutes)[5](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/) |
| Box office | Third-highest-grossing Hindi film of 1986[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1) |
| Principal cast | Nutan (Janki), Kumar Gaurav (Ravi Kapoor), Sanjay Dutt (Vicky Kapoor), Poonam Dhillon (Seema Rai), Amrita Singh (Rita), Paresh Rawal (Rana)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Janki Kapoor (Nutan) raises her two sons, Ravi (Kumar Gaurav) and Vicky ([Sanjay Dutt](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-dutt)), in poverty. Vicky is reckless and repeatedly comes into conflict with the law, while Ravi is the dutiful elder brother who earns for the family and makes sacrifices for him[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). Drawn by stories of Indians prospering abroad, Vicky decides to seek work in Dubai; Ravi arranges the visa and the money for his departure[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986).
Once in Dubai, the family hears nothing from Vicky. He has been cheated out of a promised job and discovers his visa was obtained fraudulently. To remain in the country he must work for Rana ([Paresh Rawal](https://www.edgepedia.org/paresh-rawal)), a ruthless international smuggler, under threat of being turned over to the police[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). His descent into the criminal underworld ends when he is fatally shot by the police, a climax witnessed by Ravi, and the film closes with the brothers sharing a final moment of reconciliation[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986).
## Production
The film was made under the banner Aryan Films, with Kumar Gaurav as producer and his father Rajendra Kumar as presenter[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). Salim Khan wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogue[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/). The crew included [David Dhawan](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-dhawan) as editor, Praveen Bhatt as cinematographer, and Mohan Baggad as action director[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/). Bollywood Hungama lists the shooting location as Dubai[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/), while IMDb lists Hong Kong among the filming locations[5](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/).
According to an NDTV account of the film's making, all four central figures came to it seeking a turnaround: Sanjay Dutt had not yet had a true hit and was struggling with drug addiction after his debut film *[Rocky](https://www.edgepedia.org/rocky-1981-film)* (1981), Mahesh Bhatt wanted a commercial success after his art-house phase, and Kumar Gaurav, whose debut *[Love Story](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-story-1981-film)* (1981) had been a blockbuster, had seen his subsequent films fail[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1).
## Music
The soundtrack was composed by [Laxmikant–Pyarelal](https://www.edgepedia.org/laxmikant-pyarelal) with lyrics by [Anand Bakshi](https://www.edgepedia.org/anand-bakshi)[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). Playback singers included [Lata Mangeshkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/lata-mangeshkar), Mohammad Aziz, Manhar Udhas, and Pankaj Udhas[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/).
**"Chitthi Aayi Hai"**, sung by [Pankaj Udhas](https://www.edgepedia.org/pankaj-udhas), who also appears in the film as himself in a guest appearance, became the defining song of the film[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). NDTV describes it as the biggest blockbuster song of that year, especially popular among non-resident Indian audiences, and notes that the music had become hugely popular before the film's release[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1). On the Binaca Geetmala Annual List for 1986, "Chithi Aayi Hai" ranked #12, "Ameeron Ki Shaam Gareebon Ke Naam" #26, and "Tu Kal Chala Jayega" #35[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). The Tuli Research Centre records that [BBC Radio](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio) selected "Chithi Aayi Hai" as one of the 100 Songs of the [Millennium](https://www.edgepedia.org/millennium) worldwide[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986).
## Reception and significance
Naam was met with critical acclaim for its narrative, Sanjay Dutt's performance, and its music, and emerged as a superhit[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). NDTV places it as the third-highest-grossing film of 1986 and records several career milestones attached to it: it was Mahesh Bhatt's first golden jubilee, meaning the film ran successfully for fifty weeks; Salim Khan's first solo hit; and Kumar Gaurav's first big hit after *Love Story*, which NDTV also identifies as his last successful film[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1).
For Sanjay Dutt, the film marked a turning point. NDTV writes that audiences "discovered a good actor and a new star" in him and that he received the maximum credit for the film's success[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1). The Tuli Research Centre calls the film a defining moment in the careers of Bhatt, Dutt, and Rawal[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986).
**Place in Mahesh Bhatt's career.** Bhatt had built his reputation in the early 1980s with stark, personal films such as *Arth* (1982) and *[Saaransh](https://www.edgepedia.org/saaransh)* (1984)[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986). The Tuli Research Centre describes Naam as his return to mainstream commercial cinema after that art-house phase, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's National Film Awards catalog groups it with *Arth* and *Janam* among the stark, highly personal films through which he won over critics[2](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986) • [7](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/71_46thNfacatalogue.pdf).
## Release information
Bollywood Hungama and Indian Film History give the release date as 12 September 1986[3](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/) • [4](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/naam), and NDTV's retrospective also states the film hit theaters on 12 September 1986[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1). IMDb, however, lists the India release date as 30 August 1986[5](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/), and the listing site Cinetown gives 30 August 1986 as well[8](https://cinetown.org/mv/bollywood/2360). The film carries a U/A certification on streaming platforms and runs 2 hours 57 minutes[9](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE/umc.cmc.7kaxen7xs8esq9fuxab3h1a6i?l=hi). On IMDb it holds a user rating of 7.3/10 from about 1,300 voters[5](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/).
## References
1. [Naam (1986) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091598/fullcredits/)
2. [Naam (1986), Tuli Research Centre for India Studies](https://www.tuliresearchcentre.org/naam-1986)
3. [Naam Cast List, Release Date, Review – Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/naam-2/cast/)
4. [Naam – Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/naam)
5. [नाम (1986) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/hi/title/tt0091598/)
6. [The Making Of Naam: How Mahesh Bhatt's Film Gave Fallen Star Sanjay Dutt A Second Life, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-making-of-naam-how-mahesh-bhatts-film-gave-fallen-star-sanjay-dutt-a-second-life-9269329/amp/1)
7. [46th National Film Awards catalogue, Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/71_46thNfacatalogue.pdf)
8. [Naam – Cinetown](https://cinetown.org/mv/bollywood/2360)
9. [नाम – Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE/umc.cmc.7kaxen7xs8esq9fuxab3h1a6i?l=hi)
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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 1980s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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