20 Years On, Akshay Kumar's 'Sangharsh' Is One Film That'll Give You Goosebumps Even Today!

2019 is definitely the year for Akshay Kumar. His movies, campaigns, personal life and his trending interview with PM Narendra Modi have been on point. He's looking better than ever. While people remember some of his recent movies like Toilet, Padman and Mission Mangal, Akshay has given some spectacular performances in the past as well.

Film poster

One such movie was Sangharsh. A psychological drama, where Akshay Kumar played the role of a prisoner Aman Verma. Starring alongside Akki were Preity Zinta and Ashutosh Rana. As the movie completes 20 years today, Twitter world reminisces the good old cinematic gem.

G.O.A.T Performance By @akshaykumar As Professor Aman Verma
He Was Damn Amazing Throughout The Movie And No Doubt This Will Be Forever Memorable Movie For Akshay Kumar Sir ??#20YearsOfSangharsh Today pic.twitter.com/WCheIr2qAH

¡ª Bhushan Khiladi (@Bhushanadhau1) September 3, 2019

A movie which shows @akshaykumar's Acting skills back in 90s #Sangharsh completes 20 Years today!!!#20YearsOfSangharsh
Thank you Akshay sir, @realpreityzinta #AsutoshRana ?? pic.twitter.com/f0omowJvCG

¡ª Bhagchand_Ak (@Bhagchand_Ak) September 3, 2019

#20YearsOfSangharsh! This movie is truly a masterpiece.
Starring: @akshaykumar? @realpreityzinta ?? & most dangerous villain..@ranaashutosh10 pic.twitter.com/SV5ieJFPqR

¡ª Captain India (@MrCaptainIndia) September 3, 2019

Sometime Life Is Like A Sangharsh And You Have To Win It #20YearsOfSangharsh Today Undoubtedly One Of Best Performances By @akshaykumar @realpreityzinta And @ranaashutosh10
20 YEARS OF SANGHARSH pic.twitter.com/PXeYbq72Jy

¡ª Bhushan Khiladi (@Bhushanadhau1) September 3, 2019

Here are reasons why this movie still manages to give us goosebumps:

1. One of the first few psychological thrillers from the 90s that kept us hooked till the end

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The movie revolves around sudden abduction and insane murders that left the cops and families perplexed. The journey of Preity Zinta, who plays top cop, trying to solve the case along with prisoner, Akshay Kumar, is gripping and intense.

The way the children disappear will get your heart in your mouth. Yes, it is that scary.

2. It addresses child trauma that a lot of other movies are talking about now

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Preeti aka Reet's trauma is a major set back to her while solving the case. In the film, it is shown how as a child she witnessed her older brother Jassi, a terrorist, being gunned down by the police in their home. It crops up everytime she is trying to catch the criminals. However, seeking Aman's help, she catches Pandeyji.

In 2019, when we see films dealing with mental traumas like Dear Zindagi, Preity's struggle to overcome her past was relatable and heartbreaking at the same time.

3. Akshay's acting is the most underrated

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He starts as a villain who is falsely behind bars but on meeting Reet (Preity Zinta), he changes and sobers down. They both get together to hunt down the serial killer who is on a child killing spree and eventually fall in love.

Seeing Akshay Kumar play both positive and negative in one frame with brown lens will make you hate and love him at the same time. A heart wrenching performance which will show the struggles of a prisoner who has wrongly been accused. It will also make you want to see Akshay in a villainous role which we haven't in a long long time.

4. Because Ashutosh Rana as the serial killer gave us sleepless nights

This point deserves a special mention. Now who can forget Ashutosh Rana as this religious fanatic Pandey going "Oooh, oooh." From Dushman to Sangharsh, Ashutosh stood out as a phenomenal actor. Not many know, but Ashutosh who belongs to a small village in Madhya Pradesh, had acting ka keeda since 4 and it sure shows on the silver screen. Mahesh Bhatt gave him his first break in Sangharsh which made him reach the main villain of Dushman and we couldn't be more thankful.

He scared the hell out of us with his makeovers he took for hiding away from Akshay Kumar and the cops in the movie after having kidnapped a cop¡¯s son. Ashutosh played the character of psycho killer Lajja Shankar Pandey in the movie and till today those scenes can give us shivers.

90s kids are still terrified of his look.

5. Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta were an unusual couple who worked big time on box office

Film poster

"Pehli baar hum tum salaakho ke bina, mil rahe hai, tumhe dar nahi lag raha." And Preity Zinta nods in No. Not just that, when they meet for the first time, Akshay says, "Yeh aakhein marvayengi."

Their chemistry was limited yet it was strong. This was the only full fledged role where we saw Preity Zinta and Akshay Kumar. This is also the role closest to Preity's heart. Tweeting about it last year, Preity wrote, "After all these years this film remains closest to my heart. If I was not an actor I would probably be #ReetOberoi from #Sangharsh. Thank you to the #Bhatts & #Tanuja for this opportunity."

6. Way before Student Of The Year, Alia Bhatt's debut happened in this film.

Flashback : Alia made her first screen 'debut' in Sangharsh . pic.twitter.com/07BnWS6mGF

¡ª Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) March 25, 2016

Well, if you think Alia Bhatt made her debut in Karan Johar's 'Student of the Year' in 2012 then hold on. Father Mahesh Bhatt made a clarification of her darling daughter's actual screen debut which was made way back in 1999 in the Tanuja Chandra's directorial film. Alia Bhatt had played the little Preity Zinta in the flick starring Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta and Ashutosh Rana in the pivotal roles.

7. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, this film is not just visually appealing but just listening to the audio will make it as gripping.

Film grab

Mahesh Bhatt is one of the finest filmmakers we have in the country today. He wrote this intense thriller keeping the finest actors in mind. Yes, the treatment of the characters is well etched in our memories still. Not just the acting, even the songs are a memorable lot, especially, Mujhe Raat Din.

Overall, the movie has a separate fan base. No prize for guessing that Ashtusoh Rana won the best villain award at Filmfare and the movie opened to positive reviews. So, if you're a Mahesh Bhatt fan, give this a watch while remembering the amazing 90s era.