Shock (2006)
A good old masala film with a strong cast and a gripping plot that takes on the menace of fake encounter killings in India- I swear to god, I don't think I have ever been as invested in a fight sequence as the one between Sekhar (Ravi Teja) and Nagesh (Subbaraju). (I have always been really scared of violence, and usually look away during these masala movies, but this time, I could not look away.)
All this, of course, comes from the fact that it was really easy to get emotionally invested in the film's storyline- I know what police indifference looks like up close, and moreover, I have heard countless accounts of terrible police brutality over the years. The system is so rotten, so corrupt, it doesn't take even a full minute to completely unravel and destroy an innocent life. Even if there are a few good men, they honestly don't stand a chance against the overall depravity. And as for the people who are entrapped by this system and its torchbearers, there is no end to their abject misery and state of hopelessness. They often have to plead guilty to trumped-up charges, which may or may not result in an easy sentence. The loss of dignity is unimaginable. What is more infuriating is that when one starts thinking about these things, one feels like a mute spectator, especially when this is not the only systematic injustice plaguing the country.
In this context, the movie does an absolute brilliant job in not just providing catharsis, but also detailing exactly how evil and menacing the system can get. However, it does not actually implicate the system- it throws hints here and there, but it is mostly a powerful story about evil vs. innocence at the end of the day.
Also, I must add- trigger warning for a very disturbing suicide/murder scene. I had to fast forward through it, because I was very anxious that the antagonists would rape Madhu (Jyothika, in another amazing performance).
The back-story of Madhu and Sekhar falling in love was extremely cute, and the reason why I was teary-eyed at the end of the movie. Tabu (Barbie, but better) plays an investigative journalist, Geetha, who is convinced of Sekhar's innocence, and helps the couple in their quest for "justice". Needless to say, she's an amazing presence on screen, and makes the movie that much better. Also, lowkey spoiler but I'm glad Geetha and Sekhar don't "fall in love" with each other. That was a major concern for me, and I'm glad that the film didn't go down that cringey path.
Speaking of cringe- the biggest flaw in the movie is the way it's been shot. In my opinion, it lacks finesse and simplicity. There is excessive sensationalising of the subject matter through the camera angles and background music. It's like, you'll be really into a scene, and suddenly, the screen will just slant or tilt for no discernible reason. It doesn't add anything to the plot, and just leaves you baffled for a few seconds, taking away a little bit of your focus. I don't know, maybe this was the trendy thing back in 2006, but it just felt very wrong to me somehow.
Do watch it, if only for a sense of catharsis against this abominable system that we have all been thrust into. And for cutu Jyothika (she and Tabs must star in a romcom together. PLEASE.)
All this, of course, comes from the fact that it was really easy to get emotionally invested in the film's storyline- I know what police indifference looks like up close, and moreover, I have heard countless accounts of terrible police brutality over the years. The system is so rotten, so corrupt, it doesn't take even a full minute to completely unravel and destroy an innocent life. Even if there are a few good men, they honestly don't stand a chance against the overall depravity. And as for the people who are entrapped by this system and its torchbearers, there is no end to their abject misery and state of hopelessness. They often have to plead guilty to trumped-up charges, which may or may not result in an easy sentence. The loss of dignity is unimaginable. What is more infuriating is that when one starts thinking about these things, one feels like a mute spectator, especially when this is not the only systematic injustice plaguing the country.
In this context, the movie does an absolute brilliant job in not just providing catharsis, but also detailing exactly how evil and menacing the system can get. However, it does not actually implicate the system- it throws hints here and there, but it is mostly a powerful story about evil vs. innocence at the end of the day.
Also, I must add- trigger warning for a very disturbing suicide/murder scene. I had to fast forward through it, because I was very anxious that the antagonists would rape Madhu (Jyothika, in another amazing performance).
The back-story of Madhu and Sekhar falling in love was extremely cute, and the reason why I was teary-eyed at the end of the movie. Tabu (Barbie, but better) plays an investigative journalist, Geetha, who is convinced of Sekhar's innocence, and helps the couple in their quest for "justice". Needless to say, she's an amazing presence on screen, and makes the movie that much better. Also, lowkey spoiler but I'm glad Geetha and Sekhar don't "fall in love" with each other. That was a major concern for me, and I'm glad that the film didn't go down that cringey path.
Speaking of cringe- the biggest flaw in the movie is the way it's been shot. In my opinion, it lacks finesse and simplicity. There is excessive sensationalising of the subject matter through the camera angles and background music. It's like, you'll be really into a scene, and suddenly, the screen will just slant or tilt for no discernible reason. It doesn't add anything to the plot, and just leaves you baffled for a few seconds, taking away a little bit of your focus. I don't know, maybe this was the trendy thing back in 2006, but it just felt very wrong to me somehow.
Do watch it, if only for a sense of catharsis against this abominable system that we have all been thrust into. And for cutu Jyothika (she and Tabs must star in a romcom together. PLEASE.)
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