It is common in Hindi cinema for multiple films to share the same title. A similar situation arose with two films titled Judaai, one starring Jitendra and the other featuring Anil Kapoor. Interestingly, both films turned out to be box office successes.

While Jitendra was paired with Rekha in his version, Anil Kapoor starred opposite his real-life sister-in-law, Sridevi, in the other. Despite being released 17 years apart, both films made a strong impact at the box office.

Let’s begin with the 1980 version of Judaai, starring Jitendra and Rekha. Directed by T. Rama Rao, the film also featured a strong supporting cast including Sachin Pilgaonkar, Arun Govil, Aruna Irani, and Asha Sachdev.

The film explores themes of love, trust, betrayal, and redemption, with strong emotional performances, particularly by Rekha.

Audiences were fond of the on-screen chemistry between Jitendra and Rekha, which contributed to the film’s success. With a runtime of 149 minutes, it resonated well with viewers at the time.

Now, fast forward to 1997, when director Raj Kanwar brought Judaai to the big screen, this time with Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in lead roles. The film also starred Urmila Matondkar in a pivotal role as Janhvi.

In this version, Sridevi played Kajal, a woman so tempted by wealth that she agrees to ‘sell’ her husband to the wealthy Janhvi for Rs 2 crore.

As the story unfolds, Raj (played by Anil Kapoor) grows distant from Kajal, and she begins to understand the value of love over money. Meanwhile, Janhvi’s genuine kindness pulls Raj back toward her. Kajal also finds herself emotionally distanced from her own children. What follows is a dramatic and unexpected climax that left audiences stunned.

While both films shared a title and achieved commercial success, they offered very different narratives, each leaving its own mark on Bollywood history.