Ardh Satya

Infobox Film
name = Ardh Satya


caption =
director = Govind Nihalani
producer = Manmohan Shetty
Pradeep Uppoor
writer = D. A. Palwalker (Story)
Vijay Tendulkar (Screenplay)
narrator =
starring = Om Puri
Smita Patil
Amrish Puri
Shafi Inaamdar
Naseeruddin Shah
Sadashiv Amrapurkar
music = Ajit Verman
cinematography = Govind Nihalani
editing = Renu Saluja
distributor =
released = 1982
runtime = 130 min.
country = IND
language = Hindi
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:151962
imdb_id = 0085178

Ardh Satya (Half Truth) is a critically acclaimed 1982 film directed by Govind Nihalani, his second offering after another angst ridden movie Aakrosh (1980). Both the movies had screenplay by Vijay Tendulkar, the noted Marathi playwright, this one was based on a short story 'Surya' by D.A. Panvalkar [ [http://www.lib.virginia.edu/clemons/ivid/ivid.html Ardh Satya at lib.virginia.edu] ]

In this acclaimed cop-drama, the protagonist, played by Om Puri, is a policeman struggling both with the evils around him and with his own frailties. The film also stars Amrish Puri, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Sadashiv Amrapurkar.

Ardh Satya, not only won many awards, but also went on to become a landmark film, in Indian film history [ [http://www.kamat.com/database/content/cinema/ardh_satya.htm Ardh Satya Review] ] .

Cast

* Om Puri
* Smita Patil
* Amrish Puri
* Naseeruddin Shah
* Sadashiv Amrapurkar

Awards

* 1983 Filmfare Best Movie Award
* 1983 Filmfare Best Director Award: Govind Nihalani
* 1983 Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award: Sadashiv Amrapurkar
* 1983 Filmfare Best Screenplay Award: Vijay Tendulkar
* 1983 Filmfare Best Story Award: S.D. Panwalker [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085178/awards Ardh Satya Awards] ]
* 1984 National Film Award for Best Actor: Om Puri

Overview

The film opens at a party where Anant Welankar meets Jyotsna Gokhale. Anant is a Sub Inspector in the Mumbai Police Force. And Jyotsna is a lecturer at a local college. They seem to hit it off and the friendship blossoms into a relationship.

Anant brings diligence, enthusiasm and a certain idealism to his job. But the job is harsh. There is a deep nexus between the local mafia, the cops and the (corrupt) politicians. Himself honest, Anant falls among the lower rungs of the police hierarchy and has very limited scope of authority on the state of affairs in his area.

When Anant arrests three common thugs, he is asked to meet with their boss, Rama Shetty, a don in the local mafia. Anant refuses all of Rama Shetty's attempts to get his men out or to entice Anant to join him. Shetty decides to watch over Anant. Some time thereafter, a meek fellow from a local slum lodges a complaint about some ruffians who harass his wife. Anant finds them, locks them up, and administers a severe beating. Some time after, the local MLA asks for Anant to be suspended. Anant's boss, Inspector Haider Ali, explains to a mystified Anant. The ruffians were the MLA's henchmen, providers of muscle during elections and political rallies. Anant is defiant with a clear conscience (he did nothing wrong) and ready to face a tribunal, but Haider Ali explains that it will hardly get that far. Tribunals are either delayed indefinitely or are rigged (by corrupt politicians), and suspension during that time is a permanent black mark on one's record (for no other politician will be willing to deal with such a troublemaker). Anant is initially baffled, but goes along with Haider's plan to bring in Desai, a mediator with connections in New Delhi. Desai invokes higher powers to quietly cover up the matter. Anant's morals are shaken by this incident: he had to use means barely legal in order to uphold his own righteous actions upon criminals.

Anant reflects upon his childhood. His father retired as a Faujdar (constable) in the village police force. His father was a hard and violent man, quick to slap or beat his wife on the slightest pretext. Anant recalls looking on and being powerless to intervene. When Anant graduates college, he expresses his desire to puruse higher education, but is forced into joining the police force.

Things get interesting when Anant finds one of Rama Shetty's goons, badly beaten, burnt and left to die. Anant brings the man into the hospital and takes his statement where he names Rama Shetty and others who inflicted this fatal assault. Anant storms into Rama Shetty's rooms to arrest him. But Shetty is unfazed. He makes a simple phone call to a high ranking cop who immediately asks Anant to back off. Anant cites the context and the overwhelming evidence, but is still ordered to step away. Haider Ali explains yet again: Rama Shetty plans to run for city council in the upcoming municipal elections and simply cannot afford to let a petty matter distract his ambitions.

Anant is horrified and enraged, and takes to drinking. His relationship with Jyotsna suffers. He is distraught when he is sent to provide security cover for Rama Shetty's campaign rallies. He suffers another career setback when he leads an assault team to capture a dangerous daku (armed bandit) in the hills outside Mumbai, but the credit for the arrest is ultimately handed to another officer. His relationship deteriorates further and he takes to drinking fairly heavily. When Jyotsna confronts him, he confides in her. He has always tried to do the right thing but his well intentioned actions always seem to be thwarted by the tentacles of corruption in the police force or the political strata. Jyotsna tries to be supportive, and suggests he consider another career. (She is motivated by recent news stories about police brutality, and has decided that she will not marry a police officer.) Around this time, Jyotsna recites one of her poems, Ardh Satya, to him.

Things go completely out of control when a small time thief, accused of stealing a small radio, is brought into custody. Anant is half-drunk, angry and frustrated. He delivers a shocking and brutal beating to this thief. Not surprisingly, the thief succumbs. The fallout leaves Anant suspended and facing charges of excessive force. Anant tries to invoke Desai again, but Haider Ali backs off, saying the situation has become too hot for most anyone. Haider Ali suggests, somewhat reluctantly, that perhaps the newly elected Rama Shetty can help.

After several days of deliberation, Anant decides to visit Rama Shetty. Rama Shetty agrees to help him only if Anant, in return, joins forces with Rama Shetty. Anant is infuriated, and in a stunning and violent move, strangles Rama Shetty there and then.

The film ends with Anant turning himself in.

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0085178|title=Ardh Satya
*amg title|id=1:151962|title=Ardh Satya
* [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/151962/Ardh-Satya/overview Review at NY Times]
###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Filmfare Award for Best Film
years=1983
before="Shakti"
शक्ती
after= Sparsh
स्पर्श