Prakash Jha's latest offering GANGAAJAL bares open the jungle rule that's prevalent at some places of India and how an honest cop tries to root it out. Unfortunately, films of this genre have been attempted, recycled and repackaged in various avtaars on Hindi screen before, thereby giving the viewer a been-there-done-that kind of a feel.

Tejpur where SP Amit Kumar (Ajay Devgan) has been posted. Needless to say, our man has gone to a land where no one has ever gone before or rather won't dare to go. From the day of his arrival, the SP gets the taste of the system, which is degenerating by every passing day. Subordinates are in the job after paying lakhs of rupees for that khaki vardi post while the others are recipients of the monthly salary the Tejpur gang lord Sadhu Yadav (Mohan Joshi) and his debauched son, Sunder Yadav (Yashpal Sharma) so magnanimously dole out. In short, every palm here, including the DIG's (Mohan Agashe) is greased. But no sweat, Amit is not your usual cop. He is a man of principles and the only things he knows are honesty towards duty and discipline.

While Gangaajal doesn't have anything original to say, it is well shot, well edited and brilliantly enacted by most of the lead actors. Cinematographer Arvind K's visuals lend tremendous character to the discontented yet deceptively calm temple town (shot in Wai, Maharashtra) where the plot unfolds.

The desire to throw away the corruption is so strong that when nothing works they take resort to newly found weapon. And very soon the society that was suppressed for so long finds utterance through this weapon to seek revenge and justice. Amit finds himself at crossroads as his conscience is left hovering between his moral and social duty.

Gracy Singh doesn't attempt to lend colour to her screen self. She only makes the heroine look like a caricature. Mohan Joshi repeats his Mrityudand (also directed by Jha) act by playing the supercilious villain with vigour. Yashpal Sharma, on the other hand, has essayed the hedonistic bad man so often in his short career that he has become totally typecast.

Ajay Devgan pulls up an ace with a part tailormade to reinforce his seething-under-the-surface angry hero image. To his credit (and the director's), he brings style and grace to a largely stereotypical, righteous protagonist.

On the whole, GANGAAJAL has its limitations thanks to its oft-repeated theme. At the box-office, the film may appeal to a select few, but ladies and family audiences will keep away from a film of this genre.