A classic example of a masterpiece of filmmaking transcending boundaries of time and social climate. This movie is as purposeful in making its essence felt today as it was in 1983. The characters in the movie can still be seen, with relatively mild superficial changes telling their stories, which run parallel to this story made 2 decades before. This speaks about the radical, progressive thinking of Govind Nilahani to be able to make a movie relevant then that continues to be relevant today.
This hard hitting, realistic story of a Mumbai sub inspector Anant Velankar (Om puri) who grudgingly goes through his life in the police force being forced into by an overbearing police constable father (Amrish Puri), finding it harder to control his impetuous temper and alcoholism every day into his disappointing and usually futile attempts at being an honest, principled cop functioning in a corrupt, degenerating world around him. His one solace is his relationship with Jyotsna Gokhale (Smita Patel), in whom he sees not only a potential life partner but also an aperture to vent his inmost emotions. His every attempt at pursuing the path of a righteous policeman is thwarted by the society made up of blatantly corrupt and influential goons turned politicians, condescending superiors, politics inside and outside the police force pushing the protagonist to violence as an outlet for his helplessness and his frustrations.
The director is aided by performances by actors who fit snuggly into their roles becoming in the process the characters themselves. We do not see Om Puri ‘as’ Sub-Inspector Anant Velankar or Sadhashiv Amrapurkar ‘as’ Anant’s nemesis Rama Shetty. We see only a ruthless, venomous and slithering snake in Rama Shetty smiling crookedly and contentedly when a frustratingly malcontented but compelled, Inspector Velankar walks into his den seeking help in getting out of a self brought about mess. This moment epitomizes the completion of a tragedy called Anant Velankar. As he manages to overcome this downfall in a shocking yet morbidly expected end, the question of justification is left an open question. A human being constantly from childhood questioning his social manhood and fighting a doomed battle against a supremely oppressive society has very less escape routes. The protagonist’s choice is neither justifiable nor condemnable. It was just a path open and the only one he could see at that moment.
Om Puri has today soared heights in acting pushing most of the contemporary actors down to a league far below his, he started this climb long back, proving he was in a different league even then. He becomes the fury, the frustrations, the complexity, the discontent, the disillusionment, the tormentor, the ruination; he becomes Sub inspector Anant Velankar.
Sadhashiv Amrapurkar, debuting as the sly, unscrupulous Rama Shetty has preserved the character’s unnerving disgust it demands without resorting to hamming and ranting, which he has mastered in a lot of his future films.
Smita Patel, is flawless as a strong, independent, thinking woman, who knows exactly what she wants, who has the courage to condone wrongs yet be sensitive enough to bring out Anant’s occasional moments of softness and joy.
Naseerudin Shaw’s limited appearances as a suspended, fallen from grace officer pushed to lying, borrowing and begging for money to support his vices should not be neglected. His character represents the slow delusion in Anant’s heart almost predicting the turn of events. He excels in his brief role stirring emotions of the viewer.
Good supporting actors like Shafi Imamdar, Amrish Puri and Ila Arun add to the superiority of the finished product.
Cinematography deserves a special mention, presenting the grim, dreary Mumbai, be it the glancing camera scoops of the slums, the shady, dim lighted, smoke filled dance bars or the skylines filled with weather beaten, withered apartments, all adding to the realistic picturisation and presentation of the story.
Ardh Satya is Indian cinema at its best, without classifying it into parallel or art variants. Move aside Devs, Khakees and Shools, this is the original.
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