Thugs of Hindostan

Theatrical release poster

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya

Produced by Aditya Chopra

Screenplay by Vijay Krishna Acharya

Starring Amitabh Bachchan

Aamir Khan
Katrina Kaif
Fatima Sana Shaikh
Lloyd Owen[1]

Music by Songs:
Ajay-Atul
Score:
John Stewart Eduri
 Cinematography Manush Nandan

Edited by Ritesh Soni [1]

Production Yash Raj Films

company

Distributed by Yash Raj Films

Release date  8 November 2018

Running time 164 minutes[2]

Country India

Language Hindi

Budget ₹300 crore[3]

Box office ₹123 crore (India nett)[4]

₹46.66 crore (overseas)[5]

Thugs of Hindostan is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language epic action-adventure film, written and
directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, and produced by Aditya Chopra under his banner Yash Raj
Films. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Lloyd
Owen. Set in 1795, the film follows a band of Thugs led by Khudabaksh Azaad, who aspires to
free Hindostan (the Indian subcontinent) from the rule of the expanding British East India Company.
Alarmed, British commander John Clive sends a small-time Thug from Awadh, Firangi Mallah, to
infiltrate and counter the threat.[6]
Produced on an estimated budget of ₹300 crore (US$42 million), Thugs of Hindostan is the most
expensive Bollywood film. Initially titled Thug, the film marked the first time Khan and Bachchan
featured together as leads, and was the second collaboration between Khan, Acharya and Kaif,
after Dhoom 3 (2013). Principal photography commenced on 5 June 2017 in Malta; the film was also
shot in Thailand and Mehrangarh. It was put on a short hiatus after Bachchan was injured on set.
Filming concluded in March 2018, the final schedule being completed in Rajasthan. The soundtrack
was composed by Ajay-Atul, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Thugs of Hindostan was released during the week of the Diwali festival, on 8 November 2018. Upon
release, the film received generally negative reviews; while critics praised the performances of
Bachchan and Khan, Acharya's direction and screenplay were criticized. The film recorded the
highest first-day collection and highest two-day collection for any Hindi film in India, and the fourth
biggest opening weekend in India. In its opening weekend, it collected ₹123 crore nett in India,[4] and
grossed US$6.4 million(₹46.66 crore) overseas.[5]

Contents
In 1795, when the Indian subcontinent was known as Hindustan or Hindostan, king Mira Sikander
Baig is killed by John Clive. The residents of his kingdom are massacred, and the land is annexed
by the British. The only surviviors are his daughter, Zafira Baig, and general, Khudabaksh.
Khudabaksh defeats the retreating enemy soldiers, and raises Zafira as his daughter, training her in
the arts of warfare.
Years later, Khudabaksh, now known as Jahaazi, leads a band of Indian bandits known as Thugs,
who specialize in sea-based warfare and expose a serious challenge to the expanding British East
India Company which had, by then, seized control of large parts of India. John Clive is alarmed, and
assigns his right-hand to counter the rising threat posed by the Thugs.
Firangi Mallah, a good-for-nothing, small-time Thug who makes his living by stealing necessary
accessories, is recruited by the British to meet this challenge. He appears before Jahaazi and asks
him for his refuge. Jahaazi accepts, and Firangi turns into a routine informer for the Company. He
finds solace with a dancer named Suraiyya. Firangi aims to be an English-man himself, and hence
dresses up as one in many circumstances.
Firangi betrays the Thugs on many occasions. Jahaazi, who wishes to straighten the wayward
Firangi and bring him into the Thug life, gets suspicious and realizes the truth. He confronts Firangi
and they have a duel. Jahaazi looses, and concedes defeat to Firangi, while expressing hope that he
will change his ways.
At the final encounter with the British at an abandoned fort, Jahaazi and Zafira fight the British and
find themselves outnumbered and their ranks falling. Firangi and his cronies suddenly appear and
turn the tide of the battle. Zafira defeats Clive, and justice is served. Jahaazi looks to the sky and
realizes the unfertile land has now borne fruit, suggesting that Firangi has now become an
empathetic human capable of greatness.