Starcast: Nana Patekar, Madan Jain, Raja Bundela, Arjun Chakraborty, Ashalata Wabgaonkar, Nisha Singh, Rabia Amin and Suhash Palsikar Di...
Starcast: Nana Patekar, Madan Jain, Raja Bundela, Arjun Chakraborty, Ashalata Wabgaonkar, Nisha Singh, Rabia Amin and Suhash Palsikar
Direction: N. Chandra
Music: Kuldip Singh
Ankush, released on 28th February 1986 is a raw N. Chandra flick and
still hits different if you catch it today. It's one of those old-school
Bollywood social dramas that doesn't shy away from pulling punches on
unemployment, rage, and how the system crushes regular joes in Mumbai's chawls.
Nana Patekar's breakout role makes it a must-watch for anyone into gritty '80s
cinema.
The Setup Feels Real
Four jobless men —Ravi (Nana Patekar), Laalya
(Suhas Palshikar), Shashi (Madan Jain), and Arjun (Arjun Chakraborty)hang
around a rundown porch in a Bombay slum, picking fights, dodging life. They're
not bad guys, just stuck, wasting days on petty gigs or rival gang scraps. Then
Anita (Nisha Singh) and her grandma (Ashalata) move into the empty house next
door.
Anita's no damsel; she's tough, pushes them to
shape up. Helps them start a printing press, gets them work. The Ganpati
visarjan scenes, chawl vibes, everyone interconnected yet broke. It all feels
like peeking into real lives, not some glossy set.
Turning Point Crushes
Shit hits the fan when Anita gets fired by her
sleazy boss Saxena (Raja Bundela). She confronts him, and is brutally
gang-raped by him, Gupta (Mahavir Shah), and cronies. She stumbles back
wrecked, wants justice through cops and court. The boys wanna go on the revenge
mode right away, but she holds them back. Trial flops, perpetrators walk free
because there is no proof.
Anita offs herself, done with all the fracas. That
was the last straw—the law fails, faith shatters. These men, who were finally
on track, snap too. They hunt down the rapists one by one, brutal kills, no
mercy. Court nails them with death sentences, but their last plea? Fix the damn
system. Heavy stuff for '86 Bollywood.
Nana Steals It
Nana Patekar as Ravi is simply mind-blowing. He's
all coiled anger, that intense stare, raw dialogues like daggers. National
Award for Best Supporting Actor, totally earned—this put him on the map before
Krantiveer or Parinda.
Rest of the cast kills it too—no big stars, just
solid turns. Rabia Amin as social worker Manda adds heart, Gajanan Bangera as
Shashi's brother grounds the family angle. N. Chandra's writing-directing nails
the lingo, those punchy lines on unemployment and injustice stick.
Why It Slaps Today
Back in the '80s, unemployment was rampant, urban
youth pissed off—the movie mirrors that rage perfectly. It's melodrama mixes
with street realism, like a desi On the Waterfront. Budget was peanuts , but
its impact was huge.
Critics loved the boldness which stood out from
masala flicks. It's truly a "rude reminder" of societal fails, sharp
on '80s Mumbai woes. Flaws? Pacing drags a tad in setup, some melodrama
overcooks, but that vigilante turn feels earned, not preachy.
Its still worth your time
Stream it if you can—YouTube's got full cuts.
Ankush is not perfect, but it's honest, angry, and Nana's fire especially
carries it. In today's gig-economy mess, it hits harder—reminds you why justice
matters, even if you got to scream for it. Catch it late night; it'll keep you
up thinking.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
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