Monday, June 11, 2007

Aparachit: A different anti-corruption movie

There are movies over the ages that deal with corruption, and society's wish for a hero who will make people follow rules and punish the evil. So, for example, the angry cop as exemplified by Amitabh was portrayed in a number of movies. And then you had ultra angry movies such as Ardh Satya. And part comic ones such as Shahenshah.
The last few years portray such kind of evil punishers from people outside the police stream, such as Nayak, Hindustani, etc. In such movies, it is typically the hero who will take on the role of prosecutor, judge and executioner; something that is fairly dangerous for society. When we start idealizing such roles, the role in Nayak is somewhat of a positive role, while the other movies have roles who are pre-decided executioners, not somebody who constructs something positive. Sort of like the contrast between the preserver, Vishnu, and the destroyer, Shiva.
So here I was watching Hum Tum on TV, a normal non-serious movie (although the director of the movie might differ), when another channel started showing this dubbed Tamil movie called Aparachit - The Stranger. This movie is directed by Shankar, who has got fame by making other movies in the same mould, such as Gentleman, Hindustani and Nayak. It stars Vikram in the lead role, and gives him tremendous scope to showcase his talent.
The movie, in totality, is at a minimum, fairly unrealistic. But I found the movie gripping, and the end, a sudden twist, tremendous. It is basically about the character of a lawyer, Ramanuj, also known as, Ambi (Vikram). He is extremely idealistic, believes in playing by the book, obeying laws, not avoiding tax, etc. And of course, he is criticized and booed for this habit of his. He also loves a childhood friend, Nandhini (Sada) who is studying in medical college.
Ambi's love is rejected. His attempts to commit suicide does not work as he realizes that it is a crime. He has a website called aparachit.com, which aims to punish anyone who does a wrong. The punishments are as laid down in scripture (Garuda puranam) , which lay down a variety of punishments for offences, such punishments being boiled in oil, gored by a herd of buffaloes, eaten away by worms, etc. And the police start finding people who have dies under such punishment.
What has happened ? Ambi actually suffers from multiple personality disorder, and while his main one is the normal law-abiding one, another one is a flashing one (Remo), the third one is the most deadly one, Aparichit. Aparichit, with hair falling on the front of his face, appears from nowhere, gives people the punishment as per scriptures, and then converts back to Ambi. While he is Aparachit, he has super-human like powers (this getting more powers was difficult to understand), and he punishes offenders.
There is a horrifying scene (quite long one) where after Nandhini gets the help of Ambi to conclude a deal, and he realizes that she was cheating the government of tax, he gets angry and tries to prevent her. And then later he converts to Aparichit, and wants to kill her for her crime (his own love). This is an extended sequence, and shows some flash of brilliance when the challenge of trying to kill his own sweetheart causes abrupt changes between his different characters.
He is examined by doctors, and it is determined that he is suffering because of the death of his sister when he was young, due to negligence, and this has caused a tremendous change in him. Doctors see the change, and then counsel Nandhini to love him for what he is.
In the meantime, there is a policeman who is trying to catch the murderer (his own friend was murdered), and finally catches Ambi and takes him for interrogation. This is brutal, and then suddenly the changes happen and the policeman is taken by surprise. The sudden changes are pretty interesting.
In his trial, he is sentenced to treatment, and after 2 years, when doctors are convinced, they release him and he marries Nandhini. He is cured, and when they are going on the train to their honeymoon, they come across a man who is essentially a waste to society. Nadhini is worried that Ambi will revert, and sees him standing next to the train door. He smiles, everything is fine, and with the back of his hand, Ambi drops the wastrel into a ravine from the train. This is the end, Ambi no longer has to convert to Aparachit to punish people.
It was a very interesting movie, but I can't say that I would want such a thing to happen. Capital punishment is reserved for the extreme crimes, is permissible only by the states, and vigilantism can turn very destructive. Having said that, the movie is watchable.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i like him picture because that a different story in all world, i like to character and aparachit and ambi, first time i want see one chance in aparachit, because in first time get see in three person in one man, and show different way in this film of this person i like him style and action.

i want to be one man in world like aparachit, who break up of that persons who's gone and done it bad work.

thanking you
from sunil shahzad

aliens infotech said...

like this.

regards
Aegan ajith

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