Aatank (1996) Merits of Sin | Region-Free (DVD)

Please note that this release does not include dubs or subs.

Title: Aatank

Genre: Action, Thriller, Horror

Plot Synopsis:
Jesu and Peter, childhood friends in a coastal Indian village, rely on fishing for their livelihood. The community faces oppression from a gangster named Alphonso. When black pearls are discovered offshore, Alphonso’s greed disrupts the ocean’s balance, leading to the emergence of a gigantic, man-eating shark that threatens the villagers’ lives and livelihoods.

Cast and Crew:

• Directors: Prem Lalwani, Desh Mukherjee
• Writer: Sachin Bhowmick
• Cast:
  • Dharmendra as Jesu
  • Vinod Mehra as Peter
  • Hema Malini as Jesu’s girlfriend
  • Amjad Khan as Alphonso
  • Nafisa Ali as Suzy D’Silva

IMDb Link:
Aatank (1996) 

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. AbandonChimp – ★★★½
   “I’ve always contended that one of the few improvements that could be made to Jaws would be the inclusion of Bollywood dance numbers.”

2. Scott R – ★★½
   “Alright, so Aatank is Bollywood Jaws except it juggles 4,623 other things. Strap in, shark fans… I have thoughts!!! (Spoilers Galore) So, I was promised a Bollywood take on Jaws and that’s what I got… like 2 seconds in with an animatronic shark propelling itself out at the camera, and roaring, as Indian tunes serenade us over what (I’m assuming) are Hindi credits. BUT I…”

3. MichaelEternity – ★★★½
   “Bollywood killer shark movie (of sorts – that’s only 60% of the story, but it’s sold and introduced that way) that, per the industry it comes from, is so emphatic about itself that you just can’t help be entertained.”

Meta Description:
Aatank (1996) is an Indian action-thriller blending traditional Bollywood elements with horror. The film follows two friends from a coastal village who confront both a ruthless gangster and a monstrous shark threatening their community.