handed to another officer. His relationship deteriorates further and he takes to drinking fairly heavily. When Jyotsna confronts him, he confides in her. Things go completely out of control one night soon after as a small-time thief, accused of stealing a small radio, is brought into custody. Anant is very drunk, angry and frustrated. He delivers a shocking and brutal beating to the thief – while continuing to drink – accusing him of "stealing the legitimate Rights of Others" {trans.: "Doosron ka haq churata hai, sala!"}. Not surprisingly, the thief succumbs. The fallout leaves Anant suspended and facing charges of excessive force. Anant tries to invoke Desai again, but Haider Ali backs off, saying the situation has become too hot for most anyone. Haider Ali suggests, somewhat reluctantly, that perhaps the newly elected Rama Shetty can help. After several days of deliberation, Anant decides to visit Rama Shetty in his betting den. Rama Shetty receives Anant cordially, and invites him into his inner sanctum alone – possibly aware that this righteous cop is finally on his knees before him. He agrees to help him only if Anant, in return, joins forces with him. Anant breaks out of his 'impotent' torpor and, infuriated, in a stunning and violent move, strangles Rama Shetty there and then. The film ends with Anant turning himself in. Production According to film expert Rajesh Subramanian, Amitabh Bachchan was first offered the lead role. The superstar, due to tight schedule, declined it. Om Puri was cast as Anant Welankar and it went on to become a career defining role. Cast Om Puri as Sub-Inspector Anant Velankar Smita Patil as Jyotsna Gokhale Amrish Puri as Police Constable Velankar, Anant's father Madhuri Purandare as Anant's mother Naseeruddin Shah as Suspended cop Mike Lobo Sadashiv Amrapurkar as Rama Shetty Madan Jain as Rama's Shetty son Shafi Inamdar as Police Inspector Hyder Ali Ila Arun as Sneha Vajpayee Satish Shah as Dacoit Achyut Potdar as Police Inspector Patil Akash Khurana as Khanna, mill manager Vijay Kashyap as Mill Union Leader K. K. Raina as restaurant owner Prabhakar Patankar as police officer Gupte Suresh Bhagwat as the complainant Shanta Gokhale as speaker at Lokshahi Hakka samiti meeting Awards |- | rowspan="2"|1983 | rowspan="3"|Om Puri | Best Actor – Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | rowspan="2" |- | National Film Award for Best Actor |- | rowspan="6"|1984 |Filmfare Award for Best Actor |