Drohkaal (1994)

Nihalani returned to his familiar 80s genre (cf. Ardh Satya, 1983) of the fast-paced political thriller with this story about terrorist movements in Northern India. Abhay Singh (O. Puri), the emotionally insecure head of an elite anti-terrorist squad operating in a terrain made to resemble 1980s/90s Kashmir, sends two insurgents to infiltrate the terrorist group led by Commander Bhadra (Vidyarthi). Bhadra is captured and, for much of the film, matches wits with Singh using knowledge provided to him by his own informers within the police. When Singh’s own senior officer (A. Puri) commits suicide after being revealed as a terrorist informer, Singh breaks down and turns informer to save his wife (Vasisth) and child from the all-pervasive terrorist menace. In the end he kills Bhadra, and succeeds at the cost ofhis own life in placing his own man (Gunaji) at the head of the terrorist gang. The rapid editing, extended use of close-up and tight dramatic control - Nihalani’s hallmark - dominate the long and tortuous story.