Khadaan is a 2024 Indian Bengali-language action thriller film written and directed by Soojit Rino Dutta. Jointly produced by Nispal Singh and Dev under the banners of Surinder Films and Dev Entertainment Ventures, the film features Dev in dual roles alongside Jisshu Sengupta in lead roles. The cast also includes Barkha Bisht, Idhika Paul, Anirban Chakrabarti, John Bhattacharya, and Sneha Bose in pivotal roles. This film marks Dev’s debut as a creative director and his much-anticipated return to the action genre after several years.
The movie was officially announced on January 1, 2024, with the release of a character motion poster. Principal photography began on February 16, 2024, in Kolkata, with subsequent filming schedules taking place in Asansol, Durgapur, and Raniganj. Extensive portions were shot in the coal mines of Bengal, adding authenticity to its setting.
The screenplay and dialogues are penned by Biswaroop Biswas and Soojit Rino Dutta, respectively. The film’s soundtrack and background score are composed by Rathijit Bhattacharya, Savvy, and Nilayan Chatterjee.
Khadaan delves into the gripping tale of two coal mine workers in the Damodar Valley, navigating a volatile mix of revolt, power struggles, and friendship. Their journey is one of resilience as they strive to change their destinies and improve the lives of their fellow workers.
The film was released in theaters on December 20, 2024, just in time for the Christmas season.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Soojit Rino Dutta |
| Screenplay by | Biswaroop Biswas, Soojit Rino Dutta |
| Additional Screenplay | Rohit-Soumyo |
| Dialogues by | Soojit Rino Dutta, Biswaroop Biswas |
| Story by | Soojit Rino Dutta |
| Produced by | Nispal Singh, Dev |
| Starring | Dev, Jisshu Sengupta, Barkha Bisht, Idhika Paul, Anirban Chakrabarti |
| Narrated by | Sabyasachi Chakraborty |
| Cinematography | Shailesh Awashthi |
| Edited by | MD. Kalam |
| Music by (Songs) | Rathijit Bhattyacharya, Nilayan Chatterjee, Savvy |
| Music by (Background) | Rathijit Bhattyacharya |
| Production Companies | Surinder Films, Dev Entertainment Ventures |
| Distributed by | Surinder Films, Dev Entertainment Ventures |
| Release Date | 20 December 2024 |
| Running Time | 138 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
| Budget | ₹6 crore |
Cast:
- Dev in dual roles:
- Shyam Mahato
- Madhu (Shyam and Jamuna’s son)
- Jisshu Sengupta as Mohan Das, Shyam’s friend turned enemy and the main antagonist
- Barkha Bisht as Jamuna, Shyam’s wife
- Idhika Paul as Latika, Madhu’s wife
- Anirban Chakrabarti as Balai Mandi
- Parthasarathi Chakraborty as Gokul Das
- Sneha Bose as Rekha, Mohan’s wife
- John Bhattacharya as Makhan Das, Mohan’s son
- Sumit Ganguly as Billu Paswan, a coal businessman
- Sujan Neel Mukherjee as Shehzad Siddique, the local MLA who later becomes a minister
- Raja Dutta as Bhojon, Mohan’s bodyguard
- Aayan Sohan as a coal dealer
- Biswajit Ghosh as Madhu’s assistant and former right-hand man of Billu Paswan
- Raima Pal as an oppressed worker
- Debashis Nath as Latika’s father
- Pradip Bhattacharya as Daadu, a worker
- Jayshree Bose as Thamma, a blind lady
Production:
In August 2023, rumors surfaced that Raj Chakraborty was collaborating with Dev on an action film centered around coal smuggling, under the banner of Shree Venkatesh Films. However, by mid-September, it was revealed that Dev had opted out of Chakraborty’s project due to scheduling conflicts, and Mithun Chakraborty had stepped in to lead the film. In December 2023, it was clarified that the coal-smuggling-themed film was originally pitched by Soojit Rino Dutta, while Raj Chakraborty’s project was entirely different and had been previously declined by Dev. Surinder Films joined forces with Dev Entertainment Ventures to co-produce Dutta’s film.
Music:
The film’s score is composed by Rathijit Bhattacharya. The songs featured in the film are composed by Rathijit Bhattacharya, Nilayan Chatterjee, and Savvy. The lyrics for Chatterjee’s compositions are written by Chatterjee himself, while Ritam Sen has penned the lyrics for the tracks by Bhattacharya and Savvy.
The album includes eight tracks, with four singles— “Rajar Raja,” “Haye Re Biye,” “Kishori,” and “Baap Eseche”—released alongside music videos. The remaining songs, “Radharani,” “Royal Fighter,” “Dhinak Na Tin,” and “Phiraiyya Dao,” along with the full audio jukebox, were released on December 18, 2024.
Release:
The film was released in theaters on December 20, 2024, with 282 shows, coinciding with the Christmas weekend. The first show began at 2 a.m. at SVF Cinemas in Raiganj, making Khadaan the first Bengali film to host a midnight screening for audiences. It also achieved the milestone of being the first Bengali film to have a sold-out midnight show.
Box office
The film earned an estimated ₹1 crore (US$120,000) on its opening day, marking one of the highest opening day grosses for an Indian Bengali film. With an average daily collection of ₹1 crore, it became the fastest Indian Bengali film to surpass the ₹5 crore mark, achieving this milestone in just 5 days.
