Prakash Jha’s movie Apaharan is a hard-hitting tale of a youth who gradually gets lured into the world of crime. The movie, an exposé of the kidnapping 'industry' in Bihar, is gritty but too grim a tale to digest.

Ajay [Ajay Devgan] is a man burdened by the expectations of his deeply principled and self-righteous social activist father, Prof. Raghuvansh Shastri [Mohan Agashe]. However, circumstances compel Ajay to charter a path that is completely divergent from that of his father. Ajay desires to join the police force, even raises money to bribe the higher-ups, but in vain. To repay back the loan of Rs. 5 lacs, Ajay decides to kidnap a government official and settle the account. But the plan goes awry as the main kidnapper develops cold feet at the last minute. Subsequently, Ajay is arrested. Slowly, Ajay finds himself getting lured into the world of crime along with his friends [Ayub Khan and others]. Tabrez [Nana Patekar], a minority political leader, runs an empire, a parallel government that encompasses the political, the criminal, the bureaucratic, the mercenary, the philanthropic… He is instrumental in calling the shots, while his trusted lieutenant, Gaya [Yashpal Sharma], plans murders and kidnappings from within the bars of a jail.

Prakash Jha is in his element, giving the right shades to the subject, but as pointed out at the very outset, a film like APAHARAN would appeal more to the thinking audience rather than the hoi polloi. Overall, it's a one-dimensional film. Cinematography is excellent. Although the film has been shot in Wai [Maharashtra], not once do you feel that it's not Bihar.

The performances in APAHARAN are, by and large, of superior quality. Nana Patekar is the best thing in the film. Tabrez Khan is a great villain. Devgan finally doing a good film, after a terrible year so far. While the first half while see theatres whistling and hooting, the second half might just see many of them leaving before his film climaxes.