Maachis (1996)

In the chilling aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination, orchestrated by her Sikh bodyguards, India plunges into a storm of violence. Innocent Sikhs and their families become sacrificial lambs in a maelstrom of fury and retribution. A relentless pressure mounts on the police to deliver justice, but with scant resources and a dearth of witnesses, their methods skew towards the brutal and the ruthless. Sikh men and women, innocent yet victimized, are dragged into interrogation rooms, subjected to a merciless inquisition that sows seeds of sympathy for the extremists. Amidst this vortex of chaos and injustice, the narrative weaves the tale of one Sikh family: the resolute Veerandra (Tabu), her brother Jaswant Singh, fondly called Jassi (Raj Zutshi), and their mother. Their lives spiral out of control when Inspector Vohra (Kanwaljeet) arrives, flanked by a police escort, hunting for a man named Jimmy or Jaimal (Jasjit Shergill). A jest by Jassi, involving his pet dog named Jimmy, lands him in the police's ruthless grip. When Jassi returns, his body scarred and spirit broken, it triggers a chain of events that will change their lives forever. Fuelled by a thirst for vengeance, Veerandra's lover, Kripal Singh or Pali (Chandrachur Singh), aligns with Commander (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) and Sanataan (Om Puri), two fierce extremists. This alliance sets the stage for an explosive confrontation, as personal vendettas intertwine with the larger narrative of a nation grappling with chaos and the relentless quest for justice. "Maachis" is a poignant exploration of a family's struggle for survival amidst a societal breakdown, where lines between the innocent and the guilty blur, and vengeance becomes a desperate cry for justice.

Maachis is an action movie featuring Om Puri and directed by Gulzar.

It is possible to rent Maachis on Pantaflix.