deep story of the 1990 Hindi film (originally the 1989 Tamil hit Apoorva Sagodharargal
) is a classic tale of tragedy and revenge, centered on the struggle of a man physically altered by a cruel act of fate. The Cinema Resource Centre The Core Narrative The story begins with Sethupathi
(Kamal Haasan), an honest police officer who arrests four powerful criminals: Nallasivam Satyamoorthy
. After being acquitted through influence, the criminals murder Sethupathi and force his pregnant wife, , to drink poison.
Kaveri survives and gives birth to twins, but the poison causes one child, , to be born as a dwarf. The brothers are separated:
(Kamal Haasan) grows up to be a mechanic, unaware of his past. (Kamal Haasan) grows up in a circus, performing as a clown. The Turning Point
Appu's life is defined by a deep inner pain. He falls in love with the circus owner's daughter,
, only to be heartbroken when he realizes she sees him only as a brotherly figure due to his stature. This rejection drives him to near-suicide, at which point his mother reveals the truth about his father's murder and the cause of his dwarfism. The Vengeance
Transforming his grief into cold calculation, Appu uses his circus skills and mechanical ingenuity to execute a series of "perfect" murders. He kills his father's murderers one by one using elaborate traps—such as trained circus animals and mechanical devices—often framing Raja in the process. Themes and Significance Unique Cinematography: Long before modern CGI, Kamal Haasan and cinematographer P.C. Sreeram
used forced perspective, trenches, and mechanical rigs to create the illusion of Appu's height. Chaplinesque Influence: The film is often viewed as a tribute to Charlie Chaplin's The Circus
(1928), particularly in how it portrays the tragic "sad clown" archetype. Moral Ambiguity: appu raja 1990 hindi movie 111
While Appu is the protagonist, his brutal methods of revenge and the collateral damage to his brother Raja add a layer of complexity to the typical masala film format.
The story of the 1990 movie (originally titled Apoorva Sagodharargal in Tamil) is a classic tale of revenge and separated twins, centered on a groundbreaking performance by Kamal Haasan, who played three distinct roles.
The Tragedy: Sethupathi, an honest police inspector, is murdered by four criminals—Dharmaraj, Francis, Nallasivam, and Satyamoorthy—after he exposes their smuggling ring.
The Separation: Before his death, the criminals force his pregnant wife, Kamini, to drink poison. She survives and gives birth to twins, who are separated.
Raja: One twin grows up to be a brave and skillful car mechanic.
Appu: The other twin, affected by the poison his mother drank, grows up as a dwarf and works as a circus clown.
The Revenge: After a heartbreak, Appu learns the truth about his father’s death from his mother. He begins a calculated quest to eliminate the four killers using his unique circus skills and clever traps, such as a double-edged stunt gun and a funhouse rig.
The Resolution: Raja is initially framed for Appu's crimes, but the brothers eventually meet and realize their shared history. Together, they face the final villains, leading to a climax where justice is served, though Appu ultimately surrenders to the police. Behind the Scenes
Technological Marvel: The film is legendary for its portrayal of Appu. In an era before CGI, Kamal Haasan achieved the dwarf look through innovative physical techniques, such as wearing shoes on his knees and using specialized camera angles.
Creative Team: Directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, the film featured a memorable soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja and sharp dialogues by Crazy Mohan. deep story of the 1990 Hindi film (originally
This is the most "interesting" part of the guide. In 1990, CGI and green screen were not used in Indian cinema the way they are today. Kamal Haasan played a dwarf, and the visual effects were achieved practically.
Today, Appu Raja 111 is a cult artifact. A faded poster (showing Kamal Haasan’s face triplicated, with the tagline “Ek se teen, teen se sau gyarah”) auctions for ₹50,000 online. Film scholars argue it predicted multiverse cinema years before Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Did it deserve better? Yes. Was it coherent? No. Did it have a dwarf, a giant, a child don, Amrish Puri in three eyepatches, and 111 musical cues? Absolutely.
And for that, Appu Raja 111 remains not just a film, but a fever dream you never want to wake from.
If you have a dusty VHS copy of Appu Raja 111*, please contact the author. A reward (and a therapy session) may be offered.*
Released in 1990, Appu Raja remains a landmark in Indian cinema, primarily remembered for Kamal Haasan’s legendary performance as a dwarf. Originally a Tamil film titled Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), it was dubbed into Hindi a year later and became a massive hit across North India. The film is a classic revenge drama that masterfully blends high-stakes action with emotional depth and technical innovation that was decades ahead of its time. The Plot: A Tale of Two Brothers
The story centers on twin brothers, Appu and Raja, who are separated shortly after birth. Their father, Sethupathi, an honest police officer, is brutally murdered by four criminals. During the attack, the killers force-feed poison to their pregnant mother, which results in one of the twins, Appu, being born with dwarfism.
Appu: Grows up in a circus and becomes a beloved clown. After discovering the truth about his father's murder and his own condition, he embarks on a meticulous and creative quest for vengeance.
Raja: Grows up to be a car mechanic, unaware of his brother's existence. He eventually gets entangled in Appu’s revenge plot when the police mistake him for the killer. Technical Marvel: How Kamal Haasan Became Appu
Long before the era of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI), Kamal Haasan and director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao used ingenious practical effects to portray the dwarf character. No CGI: The makers did not use computers
That search query likely refers to the classic Indian Tamil-Hindi bilingual film, best known to Hindi audiences as "Appu Raja".
Here is an interesting guide to the 1990 masterpiece, breaking down why the "111" (likely a typo for the year or a quality tag) refers to one of the most technically impressive films in Indian cinema history.
Upon release, the film broke box office records. It ran for over 200 days in many centers across India. Critics lauded it not just for the technical wizardry but for treating the character of a dwarf with dignity—showing him as a hero rather than a figure of pity. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
In the early 2000s, cable operators often labeled film files with numeric codes to fit into limited hard drives. "Appu Raja" allegedly carried the file code "111" on many pirate DVD and CD rips. When users uploaded these files to early torrent sites or shareware platforms, they kept the numeric identifier to differentiate it from other Kamal Haasan films. The code stuck.
While the movie is a drama, it is famous for being India’s answer to The Terminator in terms of concept. The story follows a father and son. The father (a circus performer) is brutally murdered by four criminals. His son, Appu (a dwarf), grows up to avenge his father’s death using his unique talents.
Unlike typical saccharine Hindi family dramas, Appu Raja was ruthlessly violent and darkly comic. The hero murders the villains one by one, not in self-defense, but in cold, calculated revenge. He serves one villain his own son in a soup! This edge-of-the-seat cruelty was unprecedented.
Critics called it “incoherent.” Families were confused when the baby-faced mobster lit a candy cigarette. And the climax, where the three Appus combine into a mecha-dwarf to punch a satellite, was deemed “too sci-fi for South Indian melodrama.”
But flop is a harsh word. Appu Raja 111 found its life on VHS, passed around college hostels at 2 AM, where its sheer audacity became legend.
For years, a high-quality print of Appu Raja (Hindi) was impossible to find. The original Tamil version (Apoorva Sagodharargal) is available in HD on streaming platforms (like Sun NXT and Amazon Prime), but the Hindi dub remains elusive.
Your best bet to experience the "appu raja 1990 hindi movie 111" version is often on YouTube, uploaded by nostalgic fans or retro movie channels. Look for the versions that run exactly 1 hour and 51 minutes—those are the "111" cuts.