Desh Premee (1982): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1982, Desh Premee is an action and drama film directed by Manmohan Desai, running about 174 minutes.

What it’s about. Master Dinanth (Amitabh Bachchan) is a freedom fighter and led the war against the British in 1942 and eventually won the independence in 1947. But after independence, the people's love for their country seems to be diminishing and they are too busy betraying it like rich businessman Thakur Pratab Singh (Amjad Khan). Masterji finds out about Thakur Pratab Singh's illegal activities such as smuggling of weapons and ammunition and gets him arrested. In revenge for putting him in prison, Pratab Singh gets Masterji's wife Bharati (Sharmila Tagore) and daughter Priti (Parveen Babi) kidnapped by Thakur's partner in crime Sher Singh (Kader Khan) to try and change his ways but to no avail. Thakur also provokes an attack on Masterji's home by the local villagers who accuse Dinanath of betraying his country and he is forced to flee his home with his young son Raju. His wife becomes a victim of leprosy and escapes from Sher Singh leaving her daughter Priti in a friend's care.

Who’s in it. Desh Premee stars Hema Malini as Asha, Raju's wife, Amitabh Bachchan as Master Dinanath / Raju, Parveen Babi as Dr. Preeti and Shammi Kapoor as Shamsher Singh, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.0/10, Desh Premee has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Desh Premee page.

If you liked it. Fans of Desh Premee tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.