Bandh Darwaza

Infobox Film
name = Bandh Darwaza


image_size =
caption =
director = Shyam Ramsay and Tulsi Ramsay
producer = Shyam Ramsay
writer = Dev Kishan and Shyam Ramsay
narrator =
starring = Manjeet Kullar
Kunika
Aruna Irani
Hashmat Khan
Chetana Das

music = Anand-Milind
cinematography = Gangu Ramsay
editing = Keshav Hirani
distributor =
released = Start date|1990|5|7
runtime = 145 minutes
country = India
language = Hindi
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:359853
imdb_id = 0259877

"Bandh Darwaza" is a 1990 Bollywood horror movie starring Kunika, Manjeet Kullar, Aruna Irani, Ajay Agarwal and the Afghani actor Hashmat Khan.

The film opens in the ruins of Kali Pahari (Black Hills, a decrepit complex of caves), and introduces the vampire Neola [Neola is the Hindi word for mongoose. It is commonly used as a nickname for a villain.] . Neola, a Dracula-like vampire, sleeps in a coffin by day, and transforms into a bat at night to hunt humans from the neighboring villages. He craves a steady supply of human blood, and a supply of fresh young women (so he may seduce them and spread his evil seed). Neola is assisted by a ragtag bunch of servants who lure innocent humans (mostly women) to Kali Pahari so Neola may easily prey on them. His servants include Mahua (a witch-woman), Mahaguru (an evil priest), a tantrik (evil wizard) and various other henchmen that provide muscle for his evil deeds.

Mahua is employed as a maid in the household of a righteous Thakur (baron) Pratap. The Thakur spots her speaking with Baku one evening. Knowing of Baku's association with the evils of Kali Pahari, the Thakur threatens to fire Mahua if she is ever caught with any of the gang again. Mahua, however, is under orders to source a new maiden for Neola.

The upright Thakur is wealthy, well-liked and happy, except for the fact that his wife Lajo is unable to have children. The local temple priest reassures her, but she is deeply perturbed when the Thakur's mausi (aunt) arrives and urges him, citing the necessity of progeny, to consider marrying again. Mahua moves in. She promises Lajo will bear children if Lajo will agree to come to Kali Pahari (and permit Neola to bed her), on the condition that the first child will be handed over to Mahua. Lajo refuses at first, but Mahua prevails over Lajo's vulnerability and Lajo accepts the deal. Accordingly, she goes to Kali Pahari, is bedded by Neola, and immediately thereafter gives birth to a daughter Kamia. But when Mahua claims the child, Lajo naturally refuses point-blank and drives her away. Mahua poisons Lajo. The Thakur fires her immediately, but Lajo succumbs to the poison. Enraged, the Thakur enters Kali Pahari and, after a long fight, is able to drive a magic stake through Neola to put him down. Gravely wounded, Neola staggers back to his coffin deep within the caves (behind a bandh darwaza or closed doorway) and lays within it to rest and recover.

Some twenty years later, Kamia grows up to be a beautiful girl. She has her heart set on Kumar, her childhood chum, but he wards off her advances as childish tomfoolery. Things get interesting when Kumar meets Sapna (the sister of his friend Anand) at a party and begins to develop affections for her. Shaken by this, Kamia makes a direct move, but Kumar bluntly snubs her, and an angry Kamia leaves the party. She swerves to avoid a strange woman (of the Kali Pahari gang), crashes her car, and is taken by the gang to the altar of Neola. Neola, asleep all these years, is revived with blood. He recognizes Kamia and bites her, and she is hypnotized by the tantrik to serve Neola forever.

Now Kamia gets orders to source more women for Neola. She approaches Bhanu (Anand's wife) and lures her to Kali Pahari, but Kumar, Anand and some of his friends arrive there in time to rescure Bhanu before Neola can seduce her. Kamia's next target is Sapna. Sapna, too, is rescued in the nick of time, but Kumar and Anand discover that Kamia is behind all this. They report back to the Thakur, and he decides to finish Neola once and for all.

Entering Kali Pahari, the Thakur finds Mahua, who informs him with evil glee of the bargain behind the birth of Kamia, and that Kamia is now entirely in Neola's power. Furious, the Thakur beheads Mahua. But Neola is unstoppable. He beckons Bhanu once again, and this time, he succeeds in biting her. Neola attacks Sapna yet again, and follows her to the Thakur's home. After a prolonged chase, Neola kills both Bhanu and Anand and nearly gets Sapna, but is thwarted in the nick of time by the Thakur. The Thakur reveals the tale of Kamia's birth to Kumar and Sapna.

The three of them enter Kali Pahari to recover Kamia. They finally find her, barely conscious, deep within the catacombs. They are immediately set upon by the gang, various henchmen, and Neola himself. They fight their way out and wound Neola once again, but are somehow unable to kill him. The evil woman and the tantrik carry away Neola in a brougham. Kumar gives chase, and captures the tantrik, and threatens to kill him unless he discloses Neola's Achilles heel. The tantrik reveals that Neola's soul is trapped within a statue at Kali Pahari. Kumar and the Thakur devise a two phase plan to finish Neola. Kumar and Sapna follow the brougham away from Kali Pahari, and round up the townsfolk to engage Neola. Neola attacks them in a frenzy. Just as he gets within reach of Sapna, he is involuntarily seized with pain and bursts into flames (as the Thakur sets the evil statue afire).

The film ends with Kumar, Sapna and the Thakur looking on as Neola is destroyed forever.

References