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The war within

Faisal Shariff

A still from Terrorist. Click for bigger pic!

If you are looking for a bloodfest in The Terrorist, you needn't waste your time seeing it.

For what unfolds in due course of the 10 reels is a journey into the psyche of a 19-year-old girl who's going to kill herself. One who's convinced she's dying for her country, her people and national pride. Till life stirring within her renders her uncertain whether this is indeed the path she wants to head on.

Malli, played by Ayesha Dharker, is a bold militant, admired by her camp members for her spunk. But nowhere is the outfit's cause divulged. For that isn't the story. The story is Malli, who, after her brother's death, picks up arms and appears certain that she's doing the right thing.

The movie revolves around a plot to assassinate an important political figure -- cryptically referred to as 'VIP'. Malli is chosen to play the human bomb. The story covers the last five days of her life, during which she meets people who touch the inner, tender side of her, exposing her vulnerability.

Behind the oft-inscrutable visage is a hidden past -- one that comes back to haunt her from time to time. The recurring memory is of a man she saved following a bomb blast. She ends up making love to him. And he winds up on a cold slab, a victim of brutal security forces.

Click for bigger pic!

The scenes are handled sensitively and are scattered across the main plot of the movie.

One of the characters who influences her is the owner of the house where she takes refuge as a paying guest while claiming to be on a research trip. The paternal old man manages to get to her with his advice and when he points out that there might be a life stirring within her. He raises questions in her head that she had not acknowledged earlier.

Director Santosh Sivan relies heavily on symbolism and his use of space and light in many shots is brilliant and, clearly, been painstakingly conceived.

The scene where Malli meets the funny bone of the film, a chap named 'Lotus'. The child, also a militant, helps Malli find her way through a jungle stiff with land mines. The boy's character is neatly etched. He provides evidence of his own weakness when he sees Malli brutally kill a soldier. For though he works with a violent outfit, his skin crawls at the sight of blood.

The depiction of their warm friendship is interspersed with shots of two drops of dew on a shivering leaf that eventually fuse. Later, as Malli heads for her rendezvous with death, a leaf is shown sinking into the water.

Click for bigger pic!

An interesting sidelight on the committed killer comes when she is awestruck by the images of beautiful women adorning the walls of her new room. In a manner designed to highlight innocence, she is shown trying to copy the poses.

One of the most interesting characters in the story is the landlord's wife. After her son's death, she'd apparently become a human vegetable, only being able to blink her eyes. She eventually turns into Malli's closest associate though their bond is an unspoken one.

As D-day closes in, the possibility that she's pregnant begins to weigh on Malli's mind. Again, it is never made clear if she is indeed pregnant. But the doubts raises a troublesome issue. And suddenly the committed killer is no longer very sure of what she ought to do, whether the VIP's demise is more important than the life of the young one she believes is nesting within her.

Ayesha comes up a sterling performance, using her lovely eyes to enthralling effect. And the effect is heightened by the outstanding cinematography and meticulously planned set designs in the backdrop. Gifted with mobile features, she handles the sensitive scenes with the panache of a veteran.

Click for bigger pic!

Nowhere in course of the narration does the film try to make a statement about the authenticity of the character's 'cause'. The film just puts forth the human side of the terrorist, exploring the emotions of those who condemn themselves by violence.

The ace cinematographer has used a fascinating collage of shots around which he has intricately woven the story. Water is used as a motif throughout, chasing the plot with its varying pace and mood. And the quickness of narrative ensures you are never bored despite the introspective nature of the tale.

So Sivan manages to convey his story successfully within just 10 reels, as opposed to the 17 to 18 reels taken by those films that fail miserably at the box office and fall short on quality as well. Without falling prey to the whims and demands of the box-office the director has delivered a masterpiece.

There are no songs but music plays an integral part in the movie.

Sivan had stated his film did not end with a full stop, but a lot of question marks. We couldn't have put that better.