Zanjeer (1973 film)
Plot
Plot
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On [Diwali](/wiki/Diwali "Diwali"), a young Vijay Khanna ([Amitabh Bachchan](/wiki/Amitabh_Bachchan "Amitabh Bachchan")) witnesses the murder of his parents committed by a man of unknown identity with a white horse on his charm bracelet *Zanjeer*. Due to this traumatic event, Vijay has recurring nightmares of a white [stallion](/wiki/Stallion "Stallion"). Even as a child, Vijay stays socially awkward from the other kids and believes himself to be alone. 20 years later, Vijay has become an [Inspector](/wiki/Inspector "Inspector") in a town where few are honest. Vijay receives complaints about a local man named Sher Khan ([Pran](/wiki/Pran_%28actor%29 "Pran (actor)")), who is running gambling dens. When Vijay calls Khan in for questioning, Khan's superiority complex chafes against Vijay's police authority as he scolds the officer, telling him he only orders him around due to his uniform. 

Vijay takes him up on his challenge, and meets him in street clothes to fight him. After the fight, Sher Khan not only closes his gambling dens, but has gained respect for Vijay. Sher Khan becomes an [auto mechanic](/wiki/Auto_mechanic "Auto mechanic") and reforms his ways. Various dealings of the [crime syndicate](/wiki/Crime_syndicate "Crime syndicate") continue unabated throughout the town, which traces back to a crime boss named Teja ([Ajit Khan](/wiki/Ajit_Khan "Ajit Khan")). A mysterious caller continually phones Vijay to inform him exactly when a crime is about to take place, but hangs up before Vijay can extract any more information out of him. When a traffic accident perpetrated by gang members leaves several children dead, a street performer named Mala ([Jaya Bhaduri](/wiki/Jaya_Bachchan "Jaya Bachchan")) becomes the witness where she is bribed by Teja's men to keep quiet. 

Mala is questioned by Vijay, who becomes enraged at her and to sway her differently, takes her into the [morgue](/wiki/Morgue "Morgue") to view the mangled bodies of the children. Mala has a change of heart and comes clean, asking that that the money be donated to an [orphanage](/wiki/Orphanage "Orphanage"). Mala identifies the man behind the traffic accident. After learning that Mala has broken her word, Teja's men chases after her through the night. Mala arrives at Vijay's house, desperate for shelter and Vijay allows her to stay. The two discover that they are orphans and discuss the fears associated with living alone. Vijay kindly takes her to his brother and sister\-in\-law. Under the sister\-in\-law's tutelage, Mala begins to learn how to keep the house clean as well as learn [English](/wiki/English_language "English language"). 

Eventually, Teja frames Vijay for bribery, who is later imprisoned for 6 months on false charges. After getting released from prison, Vijay plans to exact revenge, but Mala, who developed feelings for Vijay, begs him to stop being so vengeful. Vijay reluctantly agrees, but soon must come to terms with such a promise. In a [Christian cemetery](/wiki/Christian_cemetery "Christian cemetery"), Vijay encounters the informant who had called him in the past when he was an inspector. The informer named De Silva appears half\-insane, holding onto an empty bottle. De Silva tells that several years before on [Christmas](/wiki/Christmas "Christmas"), his three sons drank poisoned [moonshine](/wiki/Moonshine "Moonshine") and died from it. Until the killer is found, De Silva will continue to wander with the bottle. When local criminals mocked him, De Silva vowed to get back at them by calling the inspector when a crime was about to happen. 

After hearing this news, Vijay becomes depressed. Along with a concerted effort by Sher Khan to cheer up Vijay, Mala relents and vows that she will not try to control him and tells him to do what is right. The trail of tainted moonshine leads back to Teja and his men. Upon finally cornering Teja on Diwali, [fireworks](/wiki/Fireworks "Fireworks") bursting overhead, Vijay also finds out that the person who murdered his parents is Teja after Vijay recognized the *Zanjeer* on his wrist. Sher Khan helps him to fight Teja and his men, where Vijay takes justice into their own hands until the police arrive. When the hapless Inspector is held at gunpoint by Teja, Vijay manages to retrieve a dropped pistol from the ground and shoots Teja, who falls dead into the swimming pool.


Who is Vijay Khanna and what happened to his parents?