Shiva (1990)

A young man named Shiva starts at a new college and is quickly accepted into a group of smart, academic students. He soon learns that the college is dominated by a group of bullies who have ties to local gangsters, who are in turn connected to corrupt politicians.

I guess I should have researched this film before watching it, as apparently it is considered a seminal film with a lasting impact on Indian cinema.

Compared to later Ram Gopal Varma films like Satya, Company and RANGEELA it feels primitive though - there is some interesting camera work and visual panache, but the story is not that deep and there are too many "Oh come on!" moments to really sympathise with the characters.

This was a young director honing his skills though, and the film has quite an indie vibe.

The film draws a direct line from school bullies to organised crime to political corruption, and essentially challenges the viewer to act - if you tolerate any of this it will proliferate until it seems unchallengable.

It also makes the uncomfortable point that the persuasive power of violence is hard to ignore. Those who are willing to cross that line have an undeniable advantage over those who are constrained by it. This isnt necessarily glorifying violence, and the film does not gloss over the costs that come with it - it is just an observation that needs to be reckoned with.