This Indian film noir bears superficial comparison to DirtyHarry with its theme of corruption in the rank and file of law andorder; however Ardh Satya examines the underpinnings and structure thatsupport such corruption. Idealistic police officer Anant Welankar (OmPuri) is delighted when his arch-enemy, Shetty (Sadashiv Amrapurkar) isnamed by a dying murder victim. But Welankar's humiliation comes quicklyand abjectly when Shetty breezily eludes justice with a single,well-placed call to a senior police officer. Honest Welankar's fortunesplummet as he turns to drink and violence, alienating his girlfriend,Jyotsna (Smita Patil), in the process. Shetty, meanwhile, prospers andgains political clout. Fate leads Welankar to seek Shetty's favor, buthis principles will sink no further and he takes fate and justice intohis own hands. Ardh Satya ends on a dark, yet triumphant note.Director-cinematographer Govind Nihalani dares to suggest that the rootsof corruption lie in the social structure: in the socio-culturalbackgrounds of the police themselves, and the sexual ambivalence ofIndian men towards women. Winner of the 1983 award for Best HindiFeature, this angry, powerful film broke down barriers, not only in itstreatment of volatile material but in being the first serious socialdrama of the New Indian Cinema to become a spectacular box-officesuccess. Sally Syberg