Azaad (2025 film)

The film begins with Govind living under the harsh rule of Rai Bahadur and his family. In the opening scene, he is severely punished for the perceived transgression of riding Rai Bahadur's horses, a privilege reserved only for the upper class. This incident highlights the stark social inequalities prevalent in the region.

Govind's life takes an unexpected turn when he splashes Holi colors on Janaki, Rai Bahadur's daughter. Thinking he might get more punishment Govind runs away only to be found by the Baagi crew, led by Vikram Singh.

Parallel to Govind's story is that of Vikram, a local rebel fighting against the injustices inflicted by Rai Bahadur. Vikram's former girlfriend Kesar is forcibly married to Rai Bahadur's son Tej. Despite her forced wedding, she secretly remains in contact with Vikram, meeting him even after years have passed.

Vikram is eventually betrayed by a member of his own group and is left fatally wounded in an attack. Before his death, he entrusts Govind with the responsibility of caring for Azaad, a magnificent horse.

Initially, Govind faces significant challenges in bonding with Azaad. However, with the help of Janaki, who shows kindness and understanding towards Govind, he gradually earns the horse's trust. This shared experience also fosters feelings of love between Govind and Janaki, bridging the gap between their social classes.

James, the son of a British official, attempts to buy Azaad, but Govind refuses, valuing the bond he has formed with the animal. This defiance leads to Govind being lashed again, and Rai Bahadur resorts to extreme measures, and James' attempting to forcefully ship Azaad to England for training.

Govind, with the help of Janaki, manages to rescue Azaad just as he is about to be taken away. Together, they escape and participate in a local horse racing competition. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including Tej Bahadur attempting to injure Azaad during the race, Govind perseveres and wins.

The stakes of the race are incredibly high: if Govind had lost, the workers in his village would have been forced into exploitative labour in factories. Govind's victory not only saves his community from this fate but also symbolises a triumph against oppression and injustice, bringing down the landowner's exploitative plan.

• Ajay Devgn as Vikram Singh
• Diana Penty as Kesar Bahadur
• Aaman Devgan as Govind^[13]
• Rasha Thadani as Janaki Bahadur
• Mohit Malik as Tej Bahadur
• Piyush Mishra as Rai Bahadur
• Natasha Rastogi as Nani
• Sandeep Shikhar as Braj
• Jiya Imran Amin as Daani
• Mukund Ramesh Pal as Rajab
• Gaurav Yavanika as Jai Singh
• Andrew Crouch as James Cummings
• Dylan Jones as Lord Cummings
• Rakesh Sharma as Jamal
• Akshay Anand as Biru
• Jagannath Seth as Dacoit
• Khusboo Ajwani as Maid
• Arvind Bilgaiyan as Munimji
• Alok Porwal as Bearer Ratan Singh
• Ramshankar as Pandit British Residency
• Neeraj Kadela as Mute Priest
• Ravindra Dubey as Priest at Zamindar House
• Rakesh Bidua as Kesar’s father
• Aishwarya Sharma as Janki's friend
• Vivek Bahaduria as Bhusar shopkeeper

The film was announced by Ajay Devgn during the promotion of Singham Again on 30 October 2024^[14][15] and the teaser was released on 5 November 2024.^[16][17] While the release date of the film was announced on 30 November 2024,^[18][19] the trailer was dropped on 6 January 2025.^[20][21]

The music of the film is composed by Amit Trivedi while lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Swanand Kirkire. The first single titled "Birangay" was released on 12 December 2024.^[22] The second single titled "Azaad Hai Tu" was released on 22 December 2024.^[23] The third single titled "Uyi Amma" was released on 4 January 2025.^[24] The fourth single "Ajeeb-O-Gareeb" was released on 10 January 2025.^[25]

The film was theatrically released on 17 January 2025 and it began streaming on Netflix from 14 March 2025.^[26]