3 Deewarein
Encyclopedia
3 Deewarein is a 2003 Hindi film
written, directed and co-starred by Nagesh Kukunoor
. Jackie Shroff
, Juhi Chawla
, Naseeruddin Shah
and Gulshan Grover
form the rest of the cast. The film narrates the story of three prisoners and a documentary
filmmaker
who, while filming their reformation story in the prison, finds redemption with her own troubled marriage. Though the film was acclaimed critically, it failed to succeed at the box office.
. Jaggu (Jackie Shroff
), a lawyer
and a poet
, is serving a sentence for murdering his wife because she was cheating on him with another man. Nagya (Nagesh Kukunoor
), a man angry with the whole world, is arrested for murdering his wife too, but he claims that it was an accident where she falls off the sidewalk while they were talking. Ishaan (Naseeruddin Shah
), a happy-go-lucky man, is also arrested for murder
that he commits while in the act of robbery
. The prison's custodian is Mohan (Gulshan Grover
), who attempts several methods to reform the prison's inmates. A documentary
filmmaker
, Chandrika (Juhi Chawla
) comes to the jail to set a film about these three men. In the process, she finds redemption to her troubled marriage.
, writer-director Nagesh Kukunoor
explained his thoughts behind the film's story:
In another interview before the film's release, Kukunoor spoke about his inspiration from a documentary film on prisoners at the Yerwada
prison. After watching this film, he spoke to two ex-convicts who were featured in it. After hearing to their stories, Kukunoor was interested with the premise that a normal person could become a convict so easily. However it took him three years to start writing the script.
Kukunoor wrote the script in English
initially and named it as Three Walls. But the producer felt that English title would take away potential audience, who would, otherwise, have watched the film.
The film was made on a budget of . The budget for this film was comparatively higher than his previous films. Kukunoor reasoned it to cover the cost of three established actors, shooting in a real jail. The post-production was also relatively expensive because of the usage of digital effects and special treatment in shooting prison scenes. Kukunoor also felt that it was important for them to make the film as per international standards because it will reach the crossover audiences
. On a certain occasion, Kukunoor said that he has had problems finding funds for making his films. He attributes this problem to sticking out of the stereotype.
Unlike in Kukunoor's previous films, this film contains 75% of its dialogs in Hindi because the script demanded it. Since the convicts couldn’t possibly speak in English, it was imperative for the dialogs to be written in Hindi.
The film has a background score alone. Unlike other Bollywood films which contain songs that are lip-synced
by the actors, Kukunoor felt that songs can interfere with the narrative of the film. Although he chose to use songs in Rockford (1999) and Bollywood Calling
(2001), he went against using them in this film.
, Kukunoor's previous films such as Hyderabad Blues
(1998) and Rockford did not feature mainstream actors. In this film, Kukunoor felt it exciting to cast and work with several established actors such as Jackie Shroff
, Naseeruddin Shah
and Juhi Chawla
. While writing the script for the film, Kukunoor kept Chawla in mind for the character of Chandrika. He did so because he wanted Chawla's "naive honesty" to be fashioned into the character. Though Chawla was typecast in light-hearted roles in her acting career, Kukunoor chose to go against the norm by casting her in a serious role.
The rest of the characters were cast after the completion of the script. Kukunoor did not have to convince the actors for agreeing to be cast in this film. He only depended on his script. Although the character of Ishaan was initially written to be that of a man in his thirties, he could not find a suitable actor during the casting stage.
During the filmmaking, Kukunoor's experienced contrasting working styles of the actors. While Shroff preferred specific instructions from him, Shah came to him with very specific ideas. Kukunoor was full of praise for Chawla because of her suggestions during the shooting.
in Hyderabad which was soon to be demolished. After obtaining a local court's order to stay the demolition for 36 days, the crew worked hard to complete the shoot within two days of the allotted time. Shortly thereafter, the prison area was demolished and in a few months a newly constructed hospital was opened for public access.
Because of shooting in the prisons, different sections in the film were given separate color treatment. Kukunoor explains this by highlighting the fact that "in prisons, the only source available to them in the nights is the moonlight. One or two lone bulbs burn here and there." To ensure appropriateness of this scene, Kukunoor used shades of grey and blue deliberately.
. After having being screened at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, where it was well received, the film was screened at the Commonwealth Festival at Manchester
, where it was the gala presentation and it was nominated as one of top five films the festival's audience loved. At a special screening in Mumbai
's Sterling Cinema a few days before its commercial release, 800 attendees gave the film a standing ovation. A similar response was seen at a New Delhi
theater while the film was being screened as a part of the CineMaya Film Fest. The response from the initial screening prompted the organizers to include an additional screening to the festival itinerary.
The film was to have its commercial release immediately after the screenings at different film festivals in November 2002. However it got delayed because the producers took time in trying to coordinate a simultaneous release in Indian and the international markets.
A few days prior to its commercial release, the film was promoted using brochures. Though a relatively expensive approach when compared to press releases or calendars, publicity was conducted through brochures. The film competed at the box office
with Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost
, Koi... Mil Gaya
, Gangaajal
and Pinjar
. When compared to other films, this film had little publicity prior to its release.
found the depiction of the lives of prisoners to be realistic. He speaks high about the well-written script that were enacted and executed well in the film. Adarsh highlights the scene where Chandrika (played by Chawla) confronts her husband to be the best cinematic sequences of that time. While applauding Kukunoor for treating the subject with care, Adarsh felt that the film would only attract intelligent audiences who would choose to watch it on a DVD. In his review, he gives a special mention to Ajayan Vincent's cinematography by saying that the settings looked real. The Hindu
, in its review, said:
The review adds that if the film succeeds commercially, then it is a true triumph for Indian cinema. The review by Rediff.com
spoke highly about Kukunoor's strength in dealing with a genre that is not often dealt by Bollywood filmmakers. Vincent's cinematography and the background score of Salim-Sulaiman
were regarded highly. The review also appreciates the performance of Naseeruddin Shah by calling him a "scene-stealer." American entertainment weekly, Variety
, said in its review that Kukunoor's story, with its twists, would impress an American filmmaking fan of Indian cinema. However the reviewer, Robert Koehler, felt that the climax of the film was "a desperate, showbiz move to dazzle audiences regardless of how much sense it makes." Koehler speaks high about Shah's "fascinating portrait of the classic trickster archetype." His review also highlights Vincent's cinematography to be a distinguishable asset to Kukunoor's fine filmmaking abilities.
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
written, directed and co-starred by Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He is known for movies such as Hyderabad Blues , Rockford , 3 Deewarein and Iqbal .-Early life:...
. Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
, Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career...
, Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
and Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
form the rest of the cast. The film narrates the story of three prisoners and a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
filmmaker
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
who, while filming their reformation story in the prison, finds redemption with her own troubled marriage. Though the film was acclaimed critically, it failed to succeed at the box office.
Plot
Three men are on death rowDeath row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
. Jaggu (Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
), a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, is serving a sentence for murdering his wife because she was cheating on him with another man. Nagya (Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He is known for movies such as Hyderabad Blues , Rockford , 3 Deewarein and Iqbal .-Early life:...
), a man angry with the whole world, is arrested for murdering his wife too, but he claims that it was an accident where she falls off the sidewalk while they were talking. Ishaan (Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
), a happy-go-lucky man, is also arrested for murder
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
that he commits while in the act of robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
. The prison's custodian is Mohan (Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
), who attempts several methods to reform the prison's inmates. A documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
filmmaker
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, Chandrika (Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career...
) comes to the jail to set a film about these three men. In the process, she finds redemption to her troubled marriage.
Production
During the film's premiere at the Kolkata Film FestivalKolkata Film Festival
The Kolkata Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Kolkata, India, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1995, it is second oldest international film festival in India. The festival is organized by West Bengal Film Centre under...
, writer-director Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He is known for movies such as Hyderabad Blues , Rockford , 3 Deewarein and Iqbal .-Early life:...
explained his thoughts behind the film's story:
I was intrigued by the feelings of a person locked up somewhere. Momentary excitement can ruin you and confine you to a prison for the rest of your life. In my film, the convicts tell their stories to the film-maker, played by Juhi (ChawlaJuhi ChawlaJuhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career...
). And, at the end, each story links with the others.
In another interview before the film's release, Kukunoor spoke about his inspiration from a documentary film on prisoners at the Yerwada
Yerwada
Yerwada is a City neighbourhood of Pune City in the State of Maharashtra, India. Before the Britishraj Yerwada was known as Yeraoda. Yerwada is one of the most densely populated area in Pune City. This place is located at the beginning of Ahmednagar highway and also on the way to old Pune...
prison. After watching this film, he spoke to two ex-convicts who were featured in it. After hearing to their stories, Kukunoor was interested with the premise that a normal person could become a convict so easily. However it took him three years to start writing the script.
Kukunoor wrote the script in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
initially and named it as Three Walls. But the producer felt that English title would take away potential audience, who would, otherwise, have watched the film.
The film was made on a budget of . The budget for this film was comparatively higher than his previous films. Kukunoor reasoned it to cover the cost of three established actors, shooting in a real jail. The post-production was also relatively expensive because of the usage of digital effects and special treatment in shooting prison scenes. Kukunoor also felt that it was important for them to make the film as per international standards because it will reach the crossover audiences
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
. On a certain occasion, Kukunoor said that he has had problems finding funds for making his films. He attributes this problem to sticking out of the stereotype.
Unlike in Kukunoor's previous films, this film contains 75% of its dialogs in Hindi because the script demanded it. Since the convicts couldn’t possibly speak in English, it was imperative for the dialogs to be written in Hindi.
The film has a background score alone. Unlike other Bollywood films which contain songs that are lip-synced
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
by the actors, Kukunoor felt that songs can interfere with the narrative of the film. Although he chose to use songs in Rockford (1999) and Bollywood Calling
Bollywood Calling
Bollywood Calling is an Indian movie directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. The film was released in year 2001. Main casting Pat Cusick as Patrick Stormaire, Navin Nischol as Manu Kapoor, Om Puri as Subramaniam, Perizaad Zorabian as Kajal, Monique Curnen as Karen, Chet Dixon as Abe, Elahe Hiptoola as...
(2001), he went against using them in this film.
Cast
Apart for Bollywood Calling, which featured veteran actor Om PuriOm Puri
Om Puri is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.-Early life:...
, Kukunoor's previous films such as Hyderabad Blues
Hyderabad Blues
Hyderabad Blues is a Bollywood movie directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. The film is about a NRI vacationing back home in Hyderabad, India and finding himself a foreigner in his own land.-Plot:...
(1998) and Rockford did not feature mainstream actors. In this film, Kukunoor felt it exciting to cast and work with several established actors such as Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
, Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
and Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career...
. While writing the script for the film, Kukunoor kept Chawla in mind for the character of Chandrika. He did so because he wanted Chawla's "naive honesty" to be fashioned into the character. Though Chawla was typecast in light-hearted roles in her acting career, Kukunoor chose to go against the norm by casting her in a serious role.
The rest of the characters were cast after the completion of the script. Kukunoor did not have to convince the actors for agreeing to be cast in this film. He only depended on his script. Although the character of Ishaan was initially written to be that of a man in his thirties, he could not find a suitable actor during the casting stage.
During the filmmaking, Kukunoor's experienced contrasting working styles of the actors. While Shroff preferred specific instructions from him, Shah came to him with very specific ideas. Kukunoor was full of praise for Chawla because of her suggestions during the shooting.
Filmmaking
Because the script demanded prison setting, the production team spent several days in search of a right prison. Luckily for them, they found a defunct Musheerabad JailMusheerabad Jail
Musheerabad Jail was a correctional facility located in Musheerabad area of Hyderabad, India. The facility was demolished in 2003 and a hospital and a medical college were constructed in the same area....
in Hyderabad which was soon to be demolished. After obtaining a local court's order to stay the demolition for 36 days, the crew worked hard to complete the shoot within two days of the allotted time. Shortly thereafter, the prison area was demolished and in a few months a newly constructed hospital was opened for public access.
Because of shooting in the prisons, different sections in the film were given separate color treatment. Kukunoor explains this by highlighting the fact that "in prisons, the only source available to them in the nights is the moonlight. One or two lone bulbs burn here and there." To ensure appropriateness of this scene, Kukunoor used shades of grey and blue deliberately.
Release
In November 2002, the film premiered at the Kolkata Film FestivalKolkata Film Festival
The Kolkata Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Kolkata, India, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1995, it is second oldest international film festival in India. The festival is organized by West Bengal Film Centre under...
. After having being screened at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, where it was well received, the film was screened at the Commonwealth Festival at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, where it was the gala presentation and it was nominated as one of top five films the festival's audience loved. At a special screening in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
's Sterling Cinema a few days before its commercial release, 800 attendees gave the film a standing ovation. A similar response was seen at a New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
theater while the film was being screened as a part of the CineMaya Film Fest. The response from the initial screening prompted the organizers to include an additional screening to the festival itinerary.
The film was to have its commercial release immediately after the screenings at different film festivals in November 2002. However it got delayed because the producers took time in trying to coordinate a simultaneous release in Indian and the international markets.
A few days prior to its commercial release, the film was promoted using brochures. Though a relatively expensive approach when compared to press releases or calendars, publicity was conducted through brochures. The film competed at the box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
with Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost
Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost
Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost is a 2003 Bollywood movie starring Abhishek Bachchan, Lara Dutta, Aditya Lakhia, and Yashpal Sharma. The film is directed by Apoorva Lakhia. The film touched on the subject of influence of television on village life.-Synopsis:...
, Koi... Mil Gaya
Koi... Mil Gaya
Koi... Mil Gaya is a 2003 Bollywood science fiction film, directed by Rakesh Roshan , starring Hrithik Roshan, Rekha, and Preity Zinta. It was released on 8 August 2003...
, Gangaajal
Gangaajal
Gangaajal was 2003 Hindi film, directed by Prakash Jha, and was the brain child of Mr. Mahendra Lalka, starring Ajay Devgan, Gracy Singh, and Mukesh Tiwari...
and Pinjar
Pinjar
Pinjar may refer to:* Pinjar, Western Australia, suburb of Perth, Western Australia* Pinjar , novel by Amrita Pritam* Pinjar , 2003 Bollywood film...
. When compared to other films, this film had little publicity prior to its release.
Reception
Noted critic Taran AdarshTaran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh is an Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst. He is also a former producer and screenwriter. He is the son of film director and producer, B.K. Adarsh....
found the depiction of the lives of prisoners to be realistic. He speaks high about the well-written script that were enacted and executed well in the film. Adarsh highlights the scene where Chandrika (played by Chawla) confronts her husband to be the best cinematic sequences of that time. While applauding Kukunoor for treating the subject with care, Adarsh felt that the film would only attract intelligent audiences who would choose to watch it on a DVD. In his review, he gives a special mention to Ajayan Vincent's cinematography by saying that the settings looked real. The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, in its review, said:
A story that is nevertheless unusual and gripping. But you may not really agree with the way it ends. Touches of irony, in an otherwise grim situation, give this film its element of faint chuckles.
The review adds that if the film succeeds commercially, then it is a true triumph for Indian cinema. The review by Rediff.com
Rediff.com
Rediff.com India is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 as "Rediff On The NeT" and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York City, USA....
spoke highly about Kukunoor's strength in dealing with a genre that is not often dealt by Bollywood filmmakers. Vincent's cinematography and the background score of Salim-Sulaiman
Salim-Sulaiman
Salim Merchant And Sulaiman Merchant are a musical duo of brothers, born and brought up in Bhuj, Kutch, India. They belong to Ismaili Muslim family and are inspired by their father Sadruddin Merchant, who used to lead Ismaili Scouts Orchestra in India..Steeped in a family tradition of music as the...
were regarded highly. The review also appreciates the performance of Naseeruddin Shah by calling him a "scene-stealer." American entertainment weekly, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, said in its review that Kukunoor's story, with its twists, would impress an American filmmaking fan of Indian cinema. However the reviewer, Robert Koehler, felt that the climax of the film was "a desperate, showbiz move to dazzle audiences regardless of how much sense it makes." Koehler speaks high about Shah's "fascinating portrait of the classic trickster archetype." His review also highlights Vincent's cinematography to be a distinguishable asset to Kukunoor's fine filmmaking abilities.