Character Relationship Map: Ittefaq

Characters

• Dilip Roy (played by Rajesh Khanna) — protagonist

  Dilip Roy is a painter accused of murdering his wife, Sushma, after a furious argument and a period he cannot remember. During psychological evaluation, he escapes and takes refuge at Rekha's house, w...

• Rekha (played by Nanda) — protagonist

  Rekha is a married woman whose husband is away when the escaped Dilip arrives at her home and forces her to hide him. She conceals her affair with Inspector Diwan and their role in her husband's murde...

• Inspector Karwe (played by Iftekhar) — supporting

  Inspector Karwe investigates the murder of Dilip's wife while Dilip is suspected of the crime. With evidence from a piece of Renu's bracelet found in Dilip's paint palette and fingerprinting, Karwe id...

• Dr. Trivedi (played by Gajanan Jagirdar) — supporting

  Dr. Trivedi is the psychologist assigned to examine Dilip after his erratic behaviour during the trial. He assesses Dilip and decides that he should remain in the hospital longer. Dilip later escapes...

• Inspector Diwan (played by Sujit Kumar) — supporting

  Inspector Diwan is an inspector who is secretly having an affair with Rekha. He visits her house but denies knowing or having visited her; Dilip challenges this denial using the inspector's possession...

• Renu (played by Bindu Desai) — minor

  Renu is Sushma's sister and lives with Sushma and Dilip. After Sushma is found dead, Renu's testimony makes Dilip the prime suspect. Inspector Karwe later connects a piece of Renu's bracelet to Dilip'...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Rekha → Inspector Karwe (Professional Witness And Investigator) — Karwe's investigation contributes to the exposure of Rekha's secret.

  Police investigate Rekha's house after Dilip reports a body there, and the investigation leads to Rekha's admission.

• Dilip Roy → Dr. Trivedi (Professional Patient And Psychologist) — Their professional relationship leads to Dilip's psychological observation and confinement.

  Dr. Trivedi examines Dilip because of his erratic behavior during the trial and decides to keep him in the hospital longer.

• Dilip Roy → Inspector Karwe (Professional Suspect And Investigator) — Karwe's investigation ultimately changes Dilip's status from accused murderer to cleared suspect.

  Inspector Karwe investigates the evidence and uses Renu's bracelet fragment and fingerprinting to clear Dilip of his wife's murder.

• Rekha → Inspector Diwan (Romantic Lovers) — Their affair becomes central to the murder investigation.

  Rekha admits that she was having an affair with Inspector Diwan when her husband discovered them.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Inspector Karwe → Renu (Conflict Investigator And Culprit) — Karwe uncovers Renu's concealed responsibility for the original murder.

  Inspector Karwe identifies Renu as the real killer through a bracelet fragment found in Dilip's color palette and fingerprinting.

• Dilip Roy → Inspector Diwan (Conflict Suspect And Suspected Accomplice) — Dilip directly challenges Diwan's denial and exposes his connection to Rekha.

  Dilip suspects that Inspector Diwan is helping Rekha and proves that Diwan had previously visited her house using the inspector's possession of Dilip'...

• Dilip Roy → Renu (Conflict Accused And Actual Killer) — Renu's false or misleading testimony places Dilip under suspicion while concealing her own guilt.

  Renu's testimony helps make Dilip the prime suspect, while Inspector Karwe later finds evidence that Renu killed Dilip's wife.

• Dilip Roy → Rekha (Conflict Hostage And Reluctant Protector) — Their relationship shifts from coercion and suspicion to a temporary exchange of trust.

  Dilip holds Rekha at gunpoint and forces her to hide him from the police, but later apologizes and speaks with her.

Story Analysis

A painter trapped by circumstantial evidence uncovers hidden crimes while trying to prove that he is not a murderer.

Plot Progression

1. A Painter Under Suspicion — Dilip's domestic conflict ends with his wife's death. Renu's testimony and Dilip's memory loss make him the prime suspect.
2. Escape Through the Storm — Dr. Trivedi examines Dilip and keeps him under observation. Dilip escapes during a storm and reaches Rekha's house with a gun.
3. The Vanishing Body — Rekha hides Dilip from the police, but a body appears and disappears in the bathroom. Her explanation makes Dilip suspect deception.
4. Evidence Against the Accused — Dilip reports Rekha, but the discovered body and prison-cloth fragment turn suspicion back toward him. He searches for evidence that Rekha is concealing the truth.
5. Confession and Exoneration — The cigarette lighter exposes Inspector Diwan's connection to Rekha, leading to her confession and suicide. Inspector Karwe then identifies Renu as the original killer and clears Dilip.