Officer on Duty Review..!!
Officer On Duty is a well written police thriller that is technically sound, albeit a few exaggerated episodes.
Rating – 3.5/5
Shahi Kabir has given some intriguing police stories, that talks from a police perspective. These scripts are well researched and adds the right dose of cinematic elements. Officer On Duty is one among them, although the commercial factors thrive in this film. The screenplay is designed with rousing elements required for an edge of the seat thriller. This also means there are some noticeable issues, which are forgivable in a smartly executed commercial cinema.
The title card rolls with an ode to hard working police officers just like we have seen in the Tamil film ‘Sethupathi’. This straightaway leads to the introduction of our protagonist, C.I. Harishankar, who has just rejoined the force with a demotion. He makes a scene in the police station upon his arrival which is disturbing enough for the audience. This is rather bold from the makers to start with a controversial scene that would not go well with a section of the audience. It seemed like, they have introduced an antagonist in Kunchako Boban’s Harishankar. No police officer in his sound mind would do something like that. It makes us wonder, why he is welcomed back in the force. It makes us ask, “Oh, director and script writer, you better give an explanation to this.”
In the very next scene, we see our protagonist taking up a case amidst a turbulent atmosphere. And very soon, he messes up the case too. It all happens too fast that the screenplay never lets us rest on a scene, but generate a lot of details to ponder over. Yes, the makers are trying to explain the actions of the protagonists with fast progressing episodes. Harishankar is a man with uncontrollable rage, agitated, yells for insubordination and gets panic attack. This is a different man after a tragedy has struck him. But from the eyes of the common man, he is an evil or a grumpy police officer with no empathy. But the makers would want us to see through the eyes of the protagonist. What difference does it make.? There is one scene that tries to justify his actions through a psychiatrist. Well, that didn’t sound convincing enough. But the best part is that the makers never tried to paint Harishankar in a good light. The screenplay focus on the imminent conflict and treats it like a cat and mouse thriller.
The build up to the antagonists was largely chilling, who are introduced only towards the interval. From here, the focus shifts towards our protagonist trying to catch a criminal gang. A few revelations create the much-needed shock value in the story, after which the conflict gets further escalated. The tense episodes and technical elements make the audience emotionally charged. This is where the makers resort to plot convenience to keep the momentum high. The police procedures are completely cut off, focusing only on creating an engaging encounter between the good and the bad. At times, there are exaggerated moments, where the antagonists, who are the underdogs here, try to gain the upper hand. But luckily, they have already established a vulnerable protagonist who is a complete mess.
The performance of Kunchako Boban is something that needs to be highlighted. It is one of the finest roles in his career, and he nails the character of Harishankar to perfection. There is a scene where he is shocked and thereby experiences a panic attack after witnessing something tragic. This episode is so well written that he has to transform himself from an angry and dejected father to a devastated father. Special credit to him for portraying a grey shaded and fragile protagonist. Another interesting part was that the characters of Priyamani and Jagadeesh blame Harishankar for their misery. But at no point, the makers try to vindicate Harishankar. He is still accountable for his actions. Yes, there is a conveniently written plot point to have the audience empathize with Harishankar, but it isn’t entirely attempted at redemption.
The gang of antagonists have delivered fine performances. They haven’t gone overboard with the junkie character or with their nuances. They were really good as a team during the action sequences. The director, Jithu Asharef has made a stunning debut with the film. He has clearly balanced the commercial flavor, especially in the second half to give an engrossing cinematic experience to the audience. The first half definitely had help with the script but the latter half was the other way around. He was able to generate plentiful thrills in the second half complemented by Roby’s captivating frames. Jakes Bejoy’s background music is one of the most important elements in the entire film. But his music definitely helped the climax from becoming a routine conclusion. Special mention to the score composed for the antagonists and their conflict with the protagonist. Officer On Duty is not entirely a police procedural or a police investigation driven story, but it emphasizes on cinematic thrills and fancied encounters. Shahi Kabir might not have given a content driven script this time but it ticks the boxes in the commercial space. This film is technically sound and complemented by riveting performances, led by a brilliant Kunchako Boban.