International Anti-Corruption Day: 5 hard-hitting films that exposed the root of corruption in our society

What goes around ultimately comes on your screens as well! It’s nothing new. Tollywood has always fancied corruption in our society and the fight against it, be it in 80’s or in recent times. So, if you think corruption is only a new age subject, then you are wrong. Bengali cinema has seen some outstanding pieces when it comes to the theme of corruption and the fight against it. Here is a list of five such films which you shouldn’t miss.

Raj Chakraborty’s crime thriller ‘Proloy’ raised questions against a burning social issue that have plagued Bengal over the years, a common man’s fight against evil politicians. The common people’s fight against corrupt political leaders has been a great source of cinematic material for Bengali cinema but with Barun Biswas (played by Parambrata Chatterjee) in 'Proloy', Raj brings in a real-life protagonist whose courage and heroism struck the right chord among the masses. In ‘Proloy’, Saswata Chatterjee appears as Animesh Dutta, a realistic cop fighting against the crime-prone suburb area. He gets to know a name Barun Biswas, who was brutally killed for protesting the corrupt politicians in the small town. While Animesh plans to control the entire situation but suddenly the serial killing of the criminals gives him a new challenge. Saswata simply bamboozled the audience in a never-seen-before smart officer avatar.

Truly one of the best things Bengali cinema has witnessed in recent times is this particular movie. The narrative carefully builds up with every minutest detail thoroughly checked and continues till the end. The simple storyline revolves around a haunted mansion in Kolkata. The characters and their display by excellent actors with amazing one-liners turn out to be the essence of this movie. The cinematography, editing, and its simple presentation are the USP. The story carefully deals with the adverse effects of an alarming rise of multiplexes and high-rise buildings. The ghosts are here used as a metaphor. Replace them with the common man, the struggling middle class of the society and you would get to see the actual message hidden inside the comic elements.

The Bengali thriller directed by Rajesh Ganguly stars Abir Chatterjee, Jeet, Priyanka Sarkar and Shraddha Das in the lead. Abir brilliantly portrayed a common man who deals with everyday issues leaving his ego brutally crushed and bruised when he befriends a mysterious friend who guides him to live life without fear. Abir and his alter ego, depicted in the film as the friend, embark on a journey which leads to a well-executed thriller declaring war against corruption.

Srabanti Chatterjee plays a TV journalist Sharmistha who is well known for her sheer dedication towards her profession. She is a master of conducting critical string operations and when it comes to digging up the truth, she would stop at nothing. It raised questions against the corrupt society and delved deep into the dark alleys of the society. This Pallav Gupta directorial shows how far an honest journalist can go to maintain his/her professional ethics.

Raj Chakraborty’s 'Kanamachi' is a political thriller in which photo journalist Ankush and his friend Srabanti Chatterjee manages to expose the corrupt leaders and highlights the campaigns of Abir Chatterjee, who is an honest and dedicated candidate for the position of Chief Minister. But after he wins the election, the reporter duo discovers the disturbing truth behind their new chief minister’s so-called clear image.