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Often, real-life incidents inspire films and other forms of art. And when it comes to a highly publicised case that once sent shockwaves across the nation and brought people to the streets in protest, the intrigue only deepens. One such case was the famous KM Nanavati vs State of Maharashtra, which didn’t inspire just one but three films — including Akshay Kumar’s Rustom — and even a web series. But what makes this 1959 case continue to fascinate the Indian audience, inspiring filmmakers decades later? Let’s find out.
Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati was a Commander in the Indian Navy. A member of the Parsi community, he lived in Mumbai with his English-born wife Sylvia and their three children — two sons and a daughter. Their seemingly happy married life took a dark turn when Sylvia confessed that she had fallen in love with Prem Bhagwan Ahuja, a Sindhi businessman and Nanavati’s friend.
According to Nanavati’s account in court, he confronted Ahuja after the confession and asked him if he intended to marry Sylvia. Prem allegedly replied, “Am I to marry every woman I sleep with?” Enraged by this response, Nanavati fired three shots at him with his service revolver, killing him instantly. After committing the crime, Nanavati went straight to the police station and confessed.
Following his arrest, Nanavati received strong support from Mumbai’s influential Parsi community. The case gained widespread media coverage and quickly became a national sensation. The Sessions Court initially declared him not guilty, but the verdict was later overturned by the Bombay High Court, which convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s decision.
Despite the conviction, Nanavati enjoyed massive public sympathy. Rallies were held across Mumbai demanding his pardon, and reports suggest that Prem’s sister, Mamie Ahuja, was persuaded to forgive him and even gave her written consent for his release. Eventually, Nanavati’s life sentence was commuted to three years by the then Governor of Bombay, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. A year after his release, Nanavati moved to Canada with his family.
Akshay Kumar’s 2016 film Rustom was inspired by this real-life case and went on to become one of the actor’s biggest hits. Made on a reported budget of Rs 50 crore, the film grossed Rs 208 crore at the box office. Rustom also important for Akshay’s career at that time, coming after a few underperforming films such as Brothers, Airlift, Gabbar Is Back and more. Along with Housefull 3, Rustom helped re-establish Akshay as a bankable star.
Long before Rustom, two notable films had already drawn inspiration from the Nanavati case. Gulzar’s 1973 directorial Achanak, starring Vinod Khanna, Om Shivpuri, and Lily Chakravarty, was based on the same story. The film was a major success at the box office and stood out for its time as it featured no songs — a rare choice for a filmmaker like Gulzar, known for his lyrical storytelling.
Another earlier adaptation was Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke (1963), directed by RK Nayyar. The film featured stalwarts like Ashok Kumar, Sunil Dutt, and Leela Naidu in pivotal roles. Sunil Dutt portrayed a character inspired by Nanavati, while Leela Naidu played his wife.
Most recently, in 2019, Ekta Kapoor’s ALTBalaji produced a web series titled The Verdict, also based on the Nanavati case. The show, however, received mixed reviews and failed to make a lasting impression, eventually fading from public memory.
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