Date:20/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/20/stories/2006032002480200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Tracing the nexus between police and underworld

VIOLENT NARRATIVE: Shivrajkumar in Ashoka

Ashoka (Kannada)

Director: Shivamani

Cast: Shivrajkumar, Srinivasamurthy, G.K. Govinda Rao, Shivamani, Satyajit, Satya Prakash, Sunita Varma and Tejaswi

Borrowing its plot straight from published sensational news stories, in a cut and paste format, Ashoka attempts to trace the nexus between the police and underworld in a despicable but undeniable fashion.

It struggles to establish that humanity and law and order are safe in the hands of a sane, hardened and humane outlaw than with the corrupt individuals in the political and police mechanism. Ironically, the film advocates its intended thematic values such as justice, honesty, loyalty and peace by glorifying the contrary. Director Shivamani, who plays an undercover police investigator, believes that passing dry comments on the inter-related state of affairs in the real estate business, educational institutions, criminal justice system and individual responsibilities, would elevate the thematic value of the film.

The film is about a young man Ashok (Shivrajkumar) who struggles to fulfil his father's dream by becoming an IPS officer, but ends up as an underworld element. His failure, sufferings, love for people and society, and how and why he plays an instrumental role in helping the police to restore law and order form the rest of the violent narrative.

K.N. Venkatasubba Rao