Accident (1985 film)

Accident is a 1984 Indian Kannada language film directed by Shankar Nag.

Accident
Poster
Directed byShankar Nag
Written byVasant Mukashi
Screenplay byVasant Mukashi
StarringAnant Nag
Shankar Nag
Arundhati Nag
Ramesh Bhat
CinematographyDevadhar
Edited byP. Bhaktavatsalam
Music byIlayaraja
Distributed bySanket
Release date
  • 9 November 1985 (1985-11-09)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageKannada

Plot

Deepak (Ashok Mandanna), the spoilt son of a powerful politician Dharmadhikari (Ananth Nag) runs his imported car over pavement dwellers one fateful night under the influence of drugs. Except for a lone survivor, all are killed. Ramanna (Nagabharana), the survivor, identifies the driver. His friend Rahul (Srinivasa Prabhu), son of an advertising agency chief (Arundhati Nag), is with him during the accident. The shock of the accident leaves Rahul deeply traumatised. Unable to hold keep the secret any longer, Rahul shares the truth with his mother. She in turn implores to Dharmadhikaari to save them. Dharmadhikari who is slated to win a by-election cannot afford to let this accident ruin his political ambitions. He hushes up the case with the help of Chief Minister and sends his son on a trip abroad. Inspector Rao, (Ramesh Bhat) is the investigating officer. Ravi (Shankar Nag), a daring investigative journalist, joins him and the duo begin to putting together the evidence. With Rao's help, Ravi gets to the bottom of the whole affair. When Rao identifies the culprits, Dharmadhikari asks his retired driver to say he was driving the car. Rao is asked to go on leave and Ravi's editor refuses to run the story. On his way to the airport, Deepak dies in an accident. Dharmadhikari wins, but loses at the same time. Shankar Nag, apparently changed the climax. He originally wanted to work it around the assassination of Indira Gandhi

Cast

Analysis

Contrary to stereotypes of Indian cinema which include romantic interests, song- and dance sequences, Accident takes a neo-noir approach. This can be considered one of the earliest attempts towards a paradigm shift in film making in India which unfortunately didn't take off until the early 2000s due to the tragic death of Shankar Nag in 1990.

Notes

The film starred Shankar Nag's elder brother Anant Nag and his wife Arundhati Nag .[1] The film was produced in only two months. The political atmosphere of the country was in turmoil. The sanctity of the "Golden Temple in Punjab" had been desecrated; the air was charged with helplessness, anger and confusion. While shooting climax of the film, Ananth Nag who was playing the politician, was to be shot in the courtyard of his house. He originally wanted to work it around the assassination of Indira Gandhi. Shankar Nag was dead sure that it had to be that way and changed ending of film.[2]

Reception

The film won the first National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues at the 32nd National Film Awards in 1985.[3] It also won multiple awards at the 1984–85 Karnataka State Film Awards including the award for First Best Film. The film was praised for placing a politician against justice system and media revealing the nexus between politics and drug mafia.[4]

Awards and recognitions
32nd National Film Awards
1984–85 Karnataka State Film Awards
14th International Film Festival of India
  • Screening; homage to Shankar Nag

References
  1. "28 years on, 'accident' once more". The Times of India.
  2. "The final accident". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 1 October 2010.
  3. "32nd National Film Festival (1985)" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF).
  4. "Best Kannada Thrillers from Different Eras Now Available on OTT". 24 September 2020.
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