Kuchacko Boban and other cast members
The best thing about Officer on Duty is how director Jithu Ashraf humanizes the protagonist who is deeply flawed both as a police officer and human being. However the film is also guilty of repeating familiar troupes involving violence and brutality against women.
Starcast: Kuchacko Boban, Priyamani, Jagadish, Vishak Nair and others
Director: Jithu Ashraf
Genre: Crime drama/ thriller
Writer: Shahi Kabir
Cinematography: Roby Varghese Raj
Music: Jakes Bejoy
Producers: Martin Prakkat, Renjith Nair and Siby Chavara
Production Company: Martin Prakkat Films
Running time: 2 hours and 17 minutes
In Indian cinema portrayal of cops as can be broadly divided into two major categories. On one hand you have the very righteous police officers like Ajay Devgan from the Singham films or even Prakash Jha’s Gangajaal. On the other hand you have someone like Sangaram Bhalerao akka Simmba inspired by the junior NTR starrer Temper. In both Temper and Simmba the leading men start off as corrupt police officers more interested in acquiring money than helping common men. Eventually though they undergo a huge metamorphosis.
Jithu Ashraf’s Officer On Duty on the other hand focuses on an extremely short tempered cop with a huge emotional baggage. The movie wastes no time in establishing the personality of Kuchacko’s CI Harishankar. We see him getting extremely angry at his subordinates and also hitting a women on her stomach just because he considers her a suspect. His relationship with the wife Geetha (a solid Priyamani) is on the verge of dismantling. At the same time Harishankar carries the baggage of an emotional trauma due to the death of his elder daughter, she is the victim of a vicious gang who runs a big chain of drug trafficking and also sexual crimes. Initially the movie appears to be about a minor crime related to a fake gold chain but as the plot progresses things start getting sinister with some major revelations.
BTS shot from Officer on Duty
A strong aspect of Officer on Duty is how Jithu Ashraf along with Shahi Kabir gradually reveal the various layers. How a minor case of a fake gold chain snowballs into something very dangerous keeps the viewers guessing about where the movie is heading. The characterization of the central character coupled with a fantastic Kuchacko Boban is another major plus for the movie.
The violent streak in Harishankar is wonderfully balanced with the psychological trauma he is going through. A very good example of this is the scene where Harishankar stumbles upon a hanging body triggering a panic attack. How Harishankar reacts and the subsequent portions leading to an important flashback leads an emotional weight to the proceedings.
The introduction of the drug trafficking gang lead by a psychotic Vishak Nair in the role of Christie adds further intrigue to the proceedings. The second half features numerous intense sequences where Harikrishna is desperate to catch this criminal gang. There is an important mini flashback in the second half dwelling into a personal animosity linked with the wife of Harikrishna. In this portion there is a dastardly police officer whose inhuman behavior act as a major trigger for the heinous set of crimes.
The sequences of substance abuse portions doesn’t boast of any novelty as it is mostly a series of close up shots involving white powder still the movie keeps the viewers engaged. A particular mention must also be made of the gruesome action sequences. These portions by nature aren’t everyone’s cup of tea still it’s a treat for those who enjoy raw and hardcore action. There are numerous shots of Harikrishna and Christie getting physically wounded but still taking on each other.
Jakes Bejoy’s background music also plays a major part in adding to the atmosphere of dread. His music is also of a good standard. The cinematography of Roby Varghese Raj is very gritty giving it an authentic feel.
As already mentioned Kuchako Boban is simply top notch in a complex part. He plays the troubled police officer with utmost ease. He particularly shines in the intense sequences. Priyamani as Geeta also makes her presence amply felt. In spite of having less screen time she is successful in bringing out the inner strength of strong mother.
Mention must also be made of Jagadish as Chandrababu. The actor delivers a heartfelt performance as the father going through a tough time. Among the baddies Vishak Nair and Ramzan stand out. After his terrific negative role in Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency Vishal Nair impresses once again perfectly embodying the ruthlessness and the psychotic nature of Christie.
Harishankar versus Christie
Final word: Officer on Duty is worth watching if you are a fan of violent crime thrillers/drama
