Silence ! (1997): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1997, Silence ! is a notable film, running about 115 minutes. “Silence is more dangerous than violence” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. An escaped convict Ashok, (Jeetendra) seeks solace in the flat of a rich woman named Asha (Somy Ali) who has just killed her husband, Keshup (Om Puri). Since both of them know each other's terrifying secrets, they decide to help one another. Ashok helps Asha get rid of the body and then asks her why she killed her husband. Asha tells the tale of her being forced to marry Keshup and of being abused, raped, and molested after marriage. Her parents ignore her cries for help so she turns to her previous lover (Avinash Wadhsvan) for help. Keshup in turn became suspicious of Asha's loyalty to him so he would spy on her. His plans are altered, though, when work takes him to Madras. After Keshup leaves, Asha calls Avinash to her house and tells him her story of the rotten marriage. It is then that Keshup realizes that he forgot something and heads back to their flat. He catches Avinash and Asha together and flies into a rage. He tries to kill Asha and Avinash escapes to inform the police.

Who’s in it. Silence ! stars Jeetendra as Rakesh Rai / Ashok, Om Puri as Keshup, Somy Ali as Asha and Avinash Wadhavan as Avinash, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.7/10, Silence ! has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

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