How Super Hit Film ‘Victoria No. 203’ Filmmaker Killed His Family One Night! – Part 1

Bollywood which is known for making some of the edges of the seat suspense thrillers is itself packed with some baffling murder mysteries of film celebrities! This week Indian Film History (IFH) enlightens readers with such ‘Murder Mysteries’ which are even today unexplained.

 

Eminent film producer-director Brijmohan Sadanah popularly known as Brij has made many super hit suspense thrillers like Victoria No. 203, Chori Mera Kaam, Ek Se Badhkar Ek, Yakeen, etc. however, the master of suspense films had a mysterious end to his life!

 

Readers would be shocked to know that in the early ‘90s, one night, when his family was celebrating the birthday of their son, film actor Kamal Sadanah, the head of the family, Brij killed his wife. There was chaos in the party and people run helter-skelter. However, Brij was fuming with anger and after shooting his wife with his revolver he shot dead his sister and fired at his son Kamal Sadanah, and finally killed himself by the same revolver!!! The entire family was killed in just 7 minutes!!! Fortunately, his son, Kamal Sadanah, was luckily rescued as the bullets had just pierced through his neck.

The ugly incident happened on October 21, 1990, at Jal Kamal, Brij‘s bungalow located at 28th Road in Bandra West, Mumbai. It was the 20th birthday of Brij‘s son,

Kamal Sadanah, who later made his debut in films with Bekhudi (1992) opposite Kajol. He did a few more movies like Rang (1993) opposite Divya Bharti but his career did not take off. Hunted by the horrifying incident and annoyed by society’s urge to know what forced his father to take the harsh step, Kamal Sadanah decided to open up on the horrendous shot-out that happened at his house in Bandra!

 

Like his father, who was an excellent filmmaker, Kamal Sadanah decided to tell the world his life’s most painful experience through a short film. Thus Kamal participated in a film workshop organized by the New York Film Academy and learned the tricks of film making. Later he made a short film aptly titled A Moment Of Pause staring ace villain of Bollywood Prem Chopra, who portrayed his father character. The film which was made as an experiment became a huge hit. The emotion film excellently depicts the pain, the sorrow and the trauma that forced Brij to kill his family.

 

Recalling the incident, Kamal said, “My father was angry with my sister for having inter-caste marriage and was also disillusioned over the illicit relations of my mother had before marriage. My mother and father would indulge in the frequent quarrel but that night, he lost temper after consuming excessive alcohol. Under intoxication, he fired my sister, my mother and me and my friend with his licence gun. But I and my friend were saved.” He added, “Later my father went into his bedroom and killed himself by shooting a bullet into his mouth!”