We are talking about the Madan Mohla-produced and directed film 'Dus Numbri'. This film was not only the biggest hit of that year but also created a unique place for itself in the history of Hindi cinema. Now Decades after the film's release, the superhit songs and the chemistry between Manoj Kumar and Hema Malini are still refreshing those old memories.

Dus Numbri Story: Love, Revenge Saga

The story of 'Dus Numbri' is about a family torn apart by misfortune. When an honest police officer, Shivnath (Abhi Bhattacharya), is falsely implicated by his own friend Karamchand (Om Shivpuri), his entire world collapses. His wife Radha (Kamini Kaushal) loses her mental balance, and his young son Arjun (Manoj Kumar), without any guidance, grows up to become the king of the underworld, feared as "Dus Numbri." Arjun falls in love with a sharp, petty girl thief, Rosemary Fernandes (Hema Malini), and from there, a saga of love and revenge begins.

Dus Numbri Box Office: Budget vs Earnings

The success of this film could be judged by the fact that the budget of the film was only 1.50 Crore rupees, while it earned over 9 Crore rupees worldwide. It ranked 9th among the top 10 hit films of the 1970s. The music was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, and songs like 'Yeh Duniya Ek Numbri Toh Main Dus Numbri' are still popular even today. These were among the last great songs sung by legendary singer Mukesh Ji for Manoj Kumar.

However, the stories behind the scenes are much more interesting and a bit bitter too. It is said that Madan Mohla initially signed Manoj Kumar and Hema Malini for a serious art film with no songs. But later, he pleaded with Manoj Kumar to turn it into a commercial masala movie. It is believed that Manoj Kumar unofficially directed and wrote the film himself. Another story goes like this: Madan Mohla had promised him an additional 4 Lakh rupees for this, but even after the film became a blockbuster, he never paid Manoj Ji that money, while Manoj Kumar really needed the extra promised money for his other film, 'Kranti.'

It is said that after this film, there was a major fallout between Manoj Kumar and the legendary Pran. Pran played the role of Hawaldar Karan Singh Badshah/CBI officer Karan Singh. Reportedly, Pran Sahab mentioned that any film featuring him would be nothing less than a silver jubilee. Manoj Kumar took offense to this comment and stopped casting Pran Sahab in his future projects. On the other hand, the year was phenomenal for Hema Malini. After 'Sanyasi', 'Dus Numbri' was her second consecutive blockbuster with Manoj Kumar. Her popularity was so high that she delivered several hits like 'Charas' and 'Aap Biti' in the same year.

Manoj Kumar Dus Numbri: Career Turning Point

For Manoj Kumar's career, this film was a turning point. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for 'Dus Numbri', which increased his market value significantly. Interestingly, after this film, Manoj Kumar took a 5-year break and again returned to direction in 1981 with his magnum opus 'Kranti'. In fact, he desperately needed funds for 'Kranti', and the money and fame from 'Dus Numbri' gave him that necessary boost.

Hema Malini Dus Numbri: Bold Style Stuns

From a fashion and style perspective in those days, Hema Malini's character 'Rosemary' was quite bold and stylish, distinct from the traditional looks of actresses of that era. Her double role and various avatars in the film were highly appreciated by the audience. Years later, in 1996, David Dhawan tried to make a film with the same title starring Akshay Kumar and Manisha Koirala, but that project was never completed.

Even today, when we watch 'Dus Numbri', we feel the Golden vibe of Mumbai in the seventies, the sharp dialogues, and the magical tunes of Laxmikant-Pyarelal. It is not just a film but a document of that era of Indian cinema when 'Angry Young Man' and 'Social Dramas' ruled the screen.

Dus Numbri Movie Songs