Company
2002 · Directed by Ram Gopal Varma
Original language: Hindi
- action
- crime
- drama
The story
Mallik is a henchman of Aslam Bhai, a Mumbai underworld kingpin. He inducts local hothead Chandu into the gang, and the two of them soon form a formidable faction within the gang, eventually displacing Aslam. As the empire grows, however, the two of them start drifting apart.
What it’s like
Gritty, rain-slicked Mumbai nights rendered in dim sodium glow, sweat-dark interiors and handheld, jittery camera work that sticks close to faces and bodies. The palette runs to muddy browns, cold blues and the occasional blood-red, with a pulsing, percussive score that drives scenes forward and leaves little room for quiet. Pacing is relentless and tightly wound, and the emotional register is cold and fatalistic: a sense of inevitability hangs over every meeting, every shared glance between men who trust each other less each week. The arc follows two friends slowly pulling apart as power corrodes what bound them, and the mood is one of rising paranoia and bitter, dark tension. Violence is frequent and sharp, with shootings and beatings shown directly and some bloody aftermath; there is menace and threat throughout, but little sexual content. This is for viewers who want a hard, unsentimental crime drama with a strong sense of place, the kind to watch late at night with the lights off and full attention.
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