Prakash Jha, after Mrityudand and Gangajal, once again turns his camera on to the Hindi hinterland, where crime is a way of life, lawlessness is the order of the day, and where there is no dividing line between the law breakers and the law makers. Set in his native state of Bihar, this hard hitting drama is designed to make viewers wake up and take notice.
The protagonist of the film Ajay Shastri (Ajay Devgan) could be any 25 year old in this country today. Tired of waiting for merit to get him a job, Ajay takes the easy way out--that of bribery, to become a police officer. But his father, played by Mohan Agashe, is one of those extremely straight forward honest Gandhians, who will break, but not bend. Ajay, after borrowing heavily from a loan shark, loses the job, due to his father’s single mindedness and obstinacy. In order to return the sum, he must now take to illegal means, to earn money, which he does. The local minority community leader Tabrez Alam (Nana Patekar), who is also responsible for most of the crime commited in the State, eventually takes Ajay under his wings, grooming and shaping him, to eventually become a mafia don.
Ajay becomes a force to reckon with in the criminal world, and is wooed by the politicians and the police. His love interest, Bipasha Basu, leaves him to complete her medical education. Ajay’s rise in the criminal world is a thorn in the side of his mentor, and his opponents, who eventually play wily politicl games. Ajay’s chance encounter with his father in a media centre towards the end, is packed with emotion and power, where he squarely blames him father for everything. With everyone gunning for him, Ajay is left with very few options.
The acting performances are the hall mark of the film, with Ajay and Nana dominating with their brilliant performances, while the entire supporting cast of Mohan Agashe, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Murli Sharma--all turn in impressive portrayals. The story and screenplay are tight and gripping, and often the film takes on the appearance of a political thriller. With shades of old films like SHAKTHI and ARJUN, the film, though a trifle long by today’s standards, never lets go of the viewer, who is hooked on to the screen from the very first scene.
Jha has always made technically superior films, which have a deep underlying message, and Apaharan is no exception. The film eventually brings out many facets of life--the lack of communication between parents and their children, parents refusing to openly acknowledge their love for their kids, the youth of today wanting to succeed at any cost, the criminilisation of politics and the politicisation of crime. Most plum jobs today are sought after only for the huge illegal returns that they will bring. And honesty looks good only in History books, as the Home Minister tells Mohan Agashe ’’ Don’t try to become a Gandhi in this era, it creates too much disturbance.
With excellent cinematograpy, deft editing and a haunting backgroud score, this film dares to bare, and ask questions too. A must see for those who still have a conscience, and who still dare to ask and rebel.