Indian

Storyline

Directed by S. Shankar, the 1996 vigilante action thriller Indian (Hindustani) made history as India's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, winning three National Film Awards including Best Actor for Kamal Haasan. Haasan delivers an immortal, prosthetic-laden double performance as Senapathy, a 70-year-old former veteran of Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army (INA), and his corrupt modern son Chandrabose. Living in Chennai, Senapathy is sickened by the systemic cancer of bribery and administrative corruption that poisons public healthcare, transport, and police services, leading to the tragic death of his daughter Kasturi. Utilizing the ancient, lethal martial art of Varma Kalai (pressure point strikes that paralyze or kill), Senapathy launches an unyielding vigilante crusade, assassinating corrupt municipal commissioners, doctors, and treasury clerks on live television. The moral tragedy peaks when Senapathy discovers his own son Chandrabose took bribes that resulted in a fatal school bus brake failure, forcing the father to hunt down his own child in the name of justice. With A. R. Rahman's legendary score, Indian remains a monumental masterpiece.