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Last updated: 8 May 2026
A review of Angaaray (1998) (Hindi action, crime, drama), directed by Mahesh Bhatt. Starring Akshay Kumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Sonali Bendre. A police inspector (Akshay Kumar) learns that his childhood friends are working for a criminal and goes under cover to bring the crook to justice. Our Rating: 1.5/5. Verdict: DISASTER. Released: 24 Jul 1998. Runtime: 2h 21m.


Hindi · Action, Crime, Drama
2h 21m · 24 Jul 1998
Writer: Robin Bhatt, Akash Khurana, Javed Siddiqui
Ratings
Our Rating
1.5
Amar, an honest police officer, is assigned an undercover mission to dismantle a powerful criminal syndicate in Mumbai. He discovers that the gang is led by his childhood best friend, Raja. Amar must navigate a treacherous path of deception, balancing his professional duty to uphold the law with his personal loyalty to a friend who has strayed into the world of crime.
Angaaray is a gritty action drama that explores the complexities of friendship set against the backdrop of the Mumbai underworld. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the film draws significant inspiration from the 1990 American film State of Grace. The narrative effectively establishes the emotional stakes early on, focusing on the bond between the characters played by Akshay Kumar and Nagarjuna, which serves as the film's primary anchor.
The first half is well-paced, building tension as Amar infiltrates the gang and reunites with Raja. However, the second half tends to follow predictable 90s Bollywood tropes, including heavy melodrama and excessive graphic violence that occasionally overshadows the character development. While the screenplay maintains a somber tone suitable for a crime thriller, it lacks the narrative freshness required to stand out in a crowded genre.
Musically, the film features a soundtrack by Anu Malik and Aadesh Shrivastava that includes a few melodic tracks, though none achieved long-term chartbuster status. The background score is effective in heightening the film's dark and brooding atmosphere. Technically, the cinematography captures the raw and unpolished side of the city, contributing to the film's realistic aesthetic, even if the overall execution feels dated by modern standards.
Akshay Kumar: Delivered a controlled and sincere performance as the conflicted undercover cop, showcasing his range beyond pure action.
Nagarjuna Akkineni: Brought a powerful screen presence and intensity to the role of Raja, making the character's transition from friend to gangster compelling.
Paresh Rawal: Excellent as the manipulative antagonist, adding a layer of menace to the underworld dynamics.
Sonali Bendre: Provided a graceful performance in a role that was unfortunately limited by the script's focus on the male leads.
Kunal Khemu: As a child actor, he delivered a very impressive performance as the young Amar, showing great potential.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Mahesh Bhatt utilizes his signature style of emotional intensity to drive the crime narrative. While he succeeds in extracting strong performances, the direction feels somewhat constrained by a script that lacks original ideas and relies heavily on established Hollywood templates.
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Our Rating
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| Type | Value |
|---|---|
| Positive | 30% |
| Neutral | 40% |
| Negative | 30% |
The film received mixed reviews from critics. While the lead performances were widely praised, the film was criticized for its lack of originality and high violence quotient. Most contemporary reviews rated it between 2 and 2.5 stars.
Final Box-Office Result
Angaaray released on 24 July 1998 (1998).
Angaaray is declared a DISASTER at the box office.
Budget of Angaaray is approximately ₹5.5 Crore.
Angaaray is available on YouTube / SonyLIV from 24 July 1998.
Angaaray directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
Angaaray stars Akshay Kumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Sonali Bendre, Pooja Bhatt, Paresh Rawal.
Tollybo rates Angaaray 1.5/5. Verdict: DISASTER.
Angaaray — Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Runtime: 141 minutes, Language: Hindi.