The portrayal of cops in Bollywood had always been in shades of Black or White, barring Govind Nihalani’s Ardh Satya (1983), before Ab Tak Chappan changed the scenario. The film follows the life of a crime branch inspector and encounter specialist Sadhu Agashe (Nana Patekar), famous for his 56 kills. There are no emotional, patriotic speeches in the film, nor does it glorify the policemen. It seems a realistic account of working in the crime branch that keeps a check on the active Mumbai underworld. And sheds light on how, like any other job, it comes with daily humdrums, office politics, tussle for power, and individual transformations; only the stakes are much higher. The bluntness of the film, in the manner it exposes the innards of a law enforcement agency, makes it an important milestone in the crime-drama genre.
Director – Shimit Amin
