Maachis () is a 1996 Indian period political thriller film written and directed by Gulzar and produced by R. V. Pandit. It stars Chandrachur Singh, Om Puri, Tabu, and Jimmy Sheirgill. The film portrays the circumstances surrounding the rise of the Sikh insurgency in Punjab in the 1980s. The music of the film was composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, with lyrics penned by Gulzar. It was also the Hindi film debut of KK as a playback singer. The title of the film Maachis is a metaphor that conveys that any nation's youth are like matchsticks, which can be used to light a lamp or a fuse that will blow a dynamite. The film depicts how corrupt political and policing systems implement wilful policies and ploys to target and subdue people based on religious discrimination. The protagonist in the film becomes a victim of such atrocities that bring about a transformation in his character. He goes from being an ordinary boy next door to an angry, vengeful person who pursues his version of justice, as the system responsible for it has failed him. At the 44th National Film Awards, Maachis won 2 awards – Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Actress (Tabu). At the 42nd Filmfare Awards, the film received 10 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Gulzar), Best Actress (Tabu) and Best Supporting Actor (Puri), and won 4 awards, including Best Male Debut (Bhardwaj) and R. D. Burman Award (Bhardwaj). Tabu won her first Best Actress National Award for her portrayal of Virendar Kaur aka Veeran. "Chhod Aaye Hum" was the first Hindi film song sung by KK. Plot The story takes place during the mid-to-late 1980s in the Indian state of Punjab. A violent insurgency is taking place due to Operation Blue Star, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination, and the subsequent 1984 Sikh Massacre. The story unfolds in a series of flashbacks. Jaswant Singh Randhawa and his sister Veerendar "Veeran" live with their elderly mother Biji in a village in Punjab. Kripal Singh is Jaswant's childhood friend and Veeran's fiancé, and lives close by with his grandfather. Their peaceful lives are disrupted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Khurana and Inspector Vohra. They are in pursuit of Jimmy, who allegedly attempted to murder Kedar Nath, a member of the Indian Parliament. When queried, Jaswant pranks the police by leading them to his dog named Jimmy. Angered by his