Joker (2012)

In the tumultuous era of 1947, amid the cartographic carving of India and Pakistan, the eccentric village of Paglapur fell off the map. Distinguished by its vast mental asylum, the ensuing chaos of partition saw the inmates overthrow their captors, exile the villagers, and establish their own bizarre republic. For 60 years, Paglapur remained an anachronistic enclave, untouched by electricity, television, or the march of time, its colorful inhabitants comprising a man speaking nonsensical language, another believing himself to be a lamppost, and all living under the illusion of Mahatma Gandhi's ongoing battle for independence. Enter Agastya, a NASA scientist of Indian origin and his beautiful wife, who find themselves journeying to this forgotten corner of the world. Agastya, tasked with a top-secret project to establish communication with extraterrestrial life, finds his path inexplicably leading back to his ancestral home. A health scare concerning his father turns out to be a ruse, but the discovery of Paglapur's non-existence on any modern map keeps him grounded. Frustrated in his attempts to officially register Paglapur and faced with a ticking clock from his NASA superiors, Agastya devises an audacious plot with the villagers. They spin a tale of alien arrival, transforming their ignored hamlet into a hotbed of intrigue that attracts global attention. But as the world's eyes turn to Paglapur, Agastya's professional rival, Simon, grows suspicious and sets out to unveil the truth behind the supposed extraterrestrial visitation. Brimming with humor and heart, "Joker" is a whimsical exploration of forgotten places, the lengths we go to for recognition, and the universal desire to reach out to the unknown. As the plot unravels, one question hovers: Will this off-the-map village leap into the spotlight, or will it be exposed as the stage for an elaborate hoax?

Joker is a comedy movie featuring Akshay Kumar.

Joker is currently streaming on Netflix.