Original subtitles

Hey, Mani!

Are you ready with the speech for tomorrow?

I crammed all night. I can say it backwards!

Go ahead, say it then.

I'll tell you in class!

Your dishes, sir. - Leave it outside to dry!

Let's go.

Hey, Mani!

Eating uncooked rice will make you anemic!

Hey!

Get going!

Greetings, brother.

The function is only tomorrow. What are they parading now for?

I told them to rehearse so it's perfect for the minister!

Like hell, you did!

I told you to put up our party flags here and set up the leader's statue there.

As it's a government school, the headmaster refused.

"Government"?

We're the government!

Right? - Yes, sir.

It will all go smoothly, yes?

We'll rock it, sir. You needn't have come to check.

I'm here on other business.

Greetings, future MLA!

If Kumaran stages a protest against my uncle at the function tomorrow...

Kumaran isn't even in town!

In the wall collapse case, Kumaran and his friend Ravi assaulted the wall's owner.

Attempted murder.

He has absconded!

You should have arrested and thrown him in jail...

If he's arrested for such petty cases they'll tout him as a leader, Guna!

Let's nail him on a serious charge.

We'll see to it he goes away for life!

Very well, sir.

You said you'd say in class! Go on!

I'll tell you. See if it's right.

Why you...

How dare you get your boys to beat up ours?

Oh no... Sister...

No, sister.

Your boys didn't want me to cook for them. They bad-mouthed me and pushed me out.

Not knowing better, our boys fought with them.

Shut up!

Must our kids eat the food sullied by your touch?

Stick to feeding it to your pigs and to your own kids!

Hey, in-charge! Are you not one of us?

Aren't you ashamed?

How will he be, when he's busy selling eggs meant for school meal!

I apologize for the boys.

Dump your apologies along with the food you prepared. Now get lost!

We know what to do with those good-for-nothing boys!

This is a school, Gunasekaran.

Not your party's office to do as you please.

If you don't leave, I might have to call the police.

That would be convenient!

These two sold marijuana!

These three...

They stalked our girls.

The girls' parents have given a complaint!

They're young students.

I don't want to ruin their future. I think this punishment will do.

If not...

If you want them to end up like Kumaran, go ahead and do it.

Good.

Kneel until the end of this class!

Not one of you must even slouch!

"74th Independence Day."

♪ Where is justice? ♪

♪ The world bemoans its absence ♪

♪ Out of your reach, why this life of seeking alms? ♪

♪ Obstacles everywhere ♪

♪ Obstructions every time ♪

♪ Even when we drown in tears... ♪

♪ ...why don't you throw a lifeline, O God? ♪

♪ We are all your children ♪

♪ Do you not understand? ♪

♪ Who should be above? Who should be beneath? ♪

♪ Don't you know that too? ♪

♪ Despite offering prayers plenty, our pain fades away not ♪

♪ In spite of our rituals many, your rescue comes not ♪

♪ Those who treat us as untouchables... ♪

♪ Don't you protect them ♪

♪ As a foul stench in the wind... ♪

♪ Don't you make us become ♪

♪ Even our funeral pyre is outcast ♪

♪ Do not shut your eyes on our plight ♪

This place is fine, dad.

Why did we cremate grandpa at that swamp?

We can only cremate their dead here. Not ours. Here.

♪ Where is justice? ♪

♪ The world bemoans its absence ♪

♪ Out of your reach, why this life of seeking alms? ♪

♪ Obstacles everywhere ♪

♪ Obstructions every time ♪

♪ Even when we drown in tears... ♪

♪ ...why don't you throw a lifeline, O God? ♪

♪ Will there ever be a time without these tears? ♪

♪ Will everlasting joy forever be beyond our reach? ♪

♪ Without these tears... ♪ - Come quickly, Sathya!

♪ ...will there ever be a time? ♪ - Coming!

♪ Will everlasting joy forever be beyond our reach? ♪

Nice pic.

Had I known I was being posted to such a beautiful place...

...I'd have thanked the man who signed off on it!

Fresh air!

So they've transferred you to a pollution-free jungle?

When I asked you to come along, I thought you'd surprise me by agreeing.

You are doing your work there.

Who will do mine? Selfish!

I recall someone promising my mother on my wedding day.

"Even if you're not there, aunty..."

"...I'll make sure that Vijay never misses you."

Listen. I'll say it again.

If you miss me, I'll know it more than you do.

All this time, you've claimed I don't know the world.

Now are you saying I don't even know myself?

I never claimed you don't know the world. You just don't know India well.

That'll do. Don't get started.

Alright. How much further?

I think I've already reached.

Bharat Ratna Ambedkar himself is welcoming me!

Is the statue inside a cage?

It's not. Why?

So you haven't reached the town yet.

Vellalan? - Sir?

Have we reached the town?

Two more kilometres, sir.

Stop at the tea shop.

Not here, sir. Let's go to our place.

What's wrong here?

But isn't tea made from cow's milk?

It's just that, sir...

The stench of stale food when you go near them. That's why.

Pork businessmen are the billionaires of Europe!

But here? All this crap about caste!

Very funny.

It's not even close to funny!

On Independence Day, as the Panchayat Chairman was a Dalit...

...they didn't let him hoist a flag at his office!

They attacked one of our journalists who questioned them!

Want some tea, Nataraj? - No, sir.

One tea. - Yes, sir.

Why is everyone staring at me?

You order tea while wearing a blazer?

Yeah. So what?

Nothing.

Welcome to Page 7 India, Mr. Mountbatten.

Yeah. But it's just a part of India, right?

Any word about your sister, Kurunji?

Haven't found her yet, brother.

Look around that bike!

What are you doing up there?

Come down and search!

Nothing here, sir!

You can't find a suspect when he's two feet from you!

Look properly!

What the hell? Could no one see them?

Search properly!

Where are you going? - Sir?

I need to welcome him, sir. It's protocol!

"Protocol", he says! I'm aware!

Are they taking a group photo? Get back to work!

You needn't get down, sir.

Circle Inspector Sundaram, sir.

What's wrong? Did a suspect escape?

No, sir. There are snakes loose.

Hey! They're divine creatures! Don't kill them!

Release them away from here. - Yes, sir. I'll take care.

Is that all? Can I go in?

No, sir. Only the fourth snake.

We don't know how many more are in.

I'll check and let you know.

Look there!

There's one near your feet! Get it!

Don't keep searching in the same spot! Search there!

You look over here!

Quit gawking!

Does this happen often?

It used to be a forest area. We are the ones invading their territory.

They are not here on their own, Nataraj. It's all Kumaran and his men's doing!

"Kumaran"?

A regular customer at our station.

The place where you had tea...

That's their colony.

They ensure the town always talks about him...

...by holding protests and staging riots.

For the minister's security, we recently arrested four of them.

This is their retaliation.

All clear, sir. You may come in.

This is Sathish, sir.

Krishnan. Gokul.

Ravindra Kumar.

Moorthi.

Charanya.

Shankar. Thenmozhi.

Devendran.

Malaipambu [mountain snake], sir! - What?

Malaichami [mountain god], sir!

Malaichami.

Nice name. - Thank you, sir.

Sir... Sorry, sir. Phone, sir.

Let's go in, sir.

What the hell, man?

Just a minute, sir!

Sir, sir...

Devendran! Get the snake catcher!

Sorry, sir. They forgot to check the fan.

Look down there!

I'm meeting the leader next week.

Sir!

This is Anandhi, sir.

Nataraj's sister. - I see.

She's quite the cuisinier!

Cooking, sir. She cooks well.

A filter coffee specialist!

What grade are you in?

She flunked tenth grade. Education is not her cup of tea.

I hired her so she could support her family.

This is Mr. Gunasekaran, sir.

A big contractor.

Mr. Nachiappan, the minister from the constituency...

His nephew.

He owns a rope factory.

He handles rail and road contracts.

To be honest, he employs ninety percent of this place's workforce!

Sir?

The bathroom has been unused for days, so it was rusted and clogged.

I've cleaned it. See you later, sir.

What happened? - Nothing, sir!

A clog in the toilet.

He had one of his men repair it.

Why bring in outside guys for this?

Doesn't the department have its own people?

Anyway, thanks.

It's my uncle's birthday party today, sir.

So what? - I'll be happy if you can come.

I'll try. - MLAs, MPs... even the SP is coming!

I'll see if I can make it. - Lovely!

Anandhi?

Can you get me a cup of tea?

Fine, run along.

Is 'Vijayaraghavan' your full name?

Yes. Why?

It tends to be a common name among Vaishnavas. So...

"Vaishnavas"?

Well, sir...

For example, my name is Sundaram.

My full name is 'Sundaram Iyer'.

That's why, you...

No, Mr. Sundaram. My name is just Vijayaraghavan.

Sir?

"Periyar: August 15."

Good evening, sir.

I'm Vasan. Special Branch.

I've been assigned to assist you.

I'm from this town.

Yes, sir. I'll relay it.

The new ASP, sir.

I'm Kesavan. - I'm Vijayaraghavan.

Nice to meet you, Vijay.

Nice meeting you, sir!

Water, please.

Is this your first posting after the training?

No, sir. My second posting. But it's my third day of duty.

You got transferred on your second day? Why?

I did not call on the minister.

Please.

What's 'call on'?

When joining duty, you should pay your respects to the politicians of the place.

It's a formality.

You could've done it.

I was ready to do it.

An official call. The minister asked me over to his home.

I refused, but offered to meet him at his office.

He decided I did not deserve to remain in his constituency.

So, he transferred me.

Quite an angry guy!

Do you know why the angry minister couldn't leave his home?

When the party leader visited last week...

In the scramble to be the first to prostrate at the leader's feet...

...he scored, but his hand got run over by the car!

The second prize winner is coming!

Here! - No, thanks, sir.

Thank you. He's Mr. Vijay.

The new ASP.

"Vijay"?

The transfer order I saw on the CM's table said 'Vijayaraghavan'!

Be sure to tell him about me, alright?

I was doing just that, as you were walking up!

[IN TAMIL] Many Happy Returns, sir.

Not bad. A foreign educated guy, yet he delivers a traditional greeting!

That's nice!

The chief's on the phone, brother.

Keep chatting. I'll be back.

Have you received the three containers I sent, brother?

Stop! Where are you going? - You can't go there!

I'm heading to eat.

Food's over there.

What's over here? - Venkat?

Food's over there.

Do you know him, sir?

My friend. My classmate.

He's a clerk at Udumalaipet.

Can I not eat here?

Excuse me, sir. - Carry on.

Let me go, I say! - Let him go!

Let him go! - Okay, sir.

Venkat!

Sir is talking to you.

I can see that, sir.

Congrats.

Assistant Superintendent of Police.

Hey! How are you?

Got quite a headache.

Talk to you later.

"Plastered Pandi!"

You don't need booze to get a high. Just a bite of him will suffice!

It is not blood, but alcohol that flows through his body!

Dinner's ready, sir.

Aren't they all inside?

Please help! - Who else do we appeal to?

There are high ranking officers here. Get going.

Alright, Vijay. I'll get going. Take care.

I'll do my best, sir.

What's going on there?

Those are the colony people.

I asked what's the trouble about?

Since it's a party, those things have come by for leftovers.

The watchman must have asked those to wait.

Like those things would ever wait!

What kind of language is this?

"Those things."

Forgive me, sir.

Shall we go, sir?

Venkat?

I'll drop you.

It's been a while since we rode together.

Let me take it.

Hey! - Sir?

Take the car and follow him!

I thought you'd ignore me and go about your way.

Not bad. You disappointed me.

You disappointed me too!

I thought you'd be happy to see me.

I would have been.

But you've come as a cop, not as a friend.

Why? What's wrong with being a cop?

Hold it!

Who are you? What did you do?

He snatched my phone, sir!

Take out the phone! Do it!

What else you got? - Nothing, sir!

What else you got? Bring it out!

Sir... - A knife!

Get lost!

It's nothing, sir. Just a petty theft. You move along, sir.

Nothing out of the ordinary, my friend.

Get going.

Right here.

Well... I forgot to ask...

What does Aditi do?

How is she?

She's fine.

She's quite busy, publishing articles on gender equality, human rights and such.

Does she still call you 'foreigner'?

She stops short of that.

But from our last phone call, that's what she still thinks I am.

Still romancing over the phone, huh?

How can that be? Every chat of ours ends in an argument.

Oh well...

Hold on, Venkat.

I got this.

One thing though!

You won't find anyone better than her!

Hello.

I'm Vijay. - Come in, brother.

It's alright. It's getting late.

I'll be here well until the next transfer.

I'll come by another day.

Bye, Venkat.

Been a long day, Aditi.

I find everything here strange!

Even Venkat felt like a stranger to me.

That's how he saw me too.

The look in his eyes was strange.

I don't know what that was about.

I need to talk to him again tomorrow.

Three girls in all, sir.

Jaya, Suganthi, and Sathya.

Sathya's still missing, sir.

These two are cousins.

The townsfolk say these two had an affair.

Hearing about it, their fathers got angry...

...beat them up, killed them and did this.

No one in town is willing to give a statement.

Why not?

One of the girls' brother is Kumaran.

A big rowdy in these parts.

His name makes everyone quake with fear.

So, they refuse to speak up.

Did anyone go near the bodies?

The townsfolk...

Don't you know no one should go near until the dog squad arrives?

Won't the scent get contaminated?

With the scent being contaminated, the dog is confused.

Are the forensics here? - Yes.

Have them lower and examine the bodies. - Yes, sir.

Lower them!

Call them over, Mr. Kathiresan.

Hurry!

Hey... - Sir?

Who invited them?

We didn't. Someone from town must have done it.

What about the statement in the auditor's suicide case?

This thing here...

Alright.

You handle this. I'll handle that.

No... I'll go, sir. - What the hell, man?

If everyone from the station stays here as if it's the only active case we got...

...who'll handle the rest? Go!

I got this. - Alright, sir.

Death by strangulation, sir.

Suffocation.

The neck bone is broken.

More importantly, there's a blood clot in the neck.

There had been blood flow until the neck snapped.

So they were hung alive. - Yes, sir.

The dog squad, sir.

The dog sniffed up to the girl's house.

Get going. - Yes, sir.

Post-mortem? - It'll be done.

The report will be on your table in the morning. I'll see to it.

Clear them from the back, Mr. Moorthi!

Two girls are dead. What action will the police take?

We just started the investigation. I'll let you know.

Could this be rape, sir?

We'll know only when the post-mortem is done.

Both victims are Dalits. Will the investigation be fair?

Shall I take that as a 'No Comment' from the police?

Get going, sir. I got this.

Shit!

Just 15 years old, Aditi!

They've hung alive mere children!

Are you listening?

Yes. I'm listening.

A similar case in Kanchipuram. A Dalit girl was burnt and hung up.

They first said it was honor killing.

But investigation revealed it was rape.

Are these girls Dalits too?

This won't make the headlines either?

Don't just conclude things yourself!

Didn't you just say they found it was rape only after the investigation?

Let me investigate first.

And why do you people always generalize things?

There's something called law and procedure!

You've learned to defend the system like everyone else, haven't you?

Unlike you, I don't have a PhD in the subject.

I firmly believe in the law.

I'll act according to the law.

The law you refer to protects only the system. Not justice.

You folks need a hero who instantly solves it all like in the movies, right?

No, Vijay.

We don't need heroes.

We need people who don't expect heroes.

They've arranged food for you from the canteen, sir.

Sir?

Vasan!

Vasan! - Get Sir's bag, Vellalan!

Does anything at all work here?

Why is the fan so noisy?

Can't you get an electrician to fix it?

It is easy enough to get an electrician.

But we need to get one from the police housing board. I did call for one.

It seems that they have the position vacant.

Once they recruit, they assured me they'll handle it in a week.

Did you collect details about Sathya, the missing girl?

No, sir. - Why not?

I was away investigating an important pending case.

Two girls are dead.

Another who went with them is missing.

What case here is more important than that?

Where's the FIR of this case?

I'll file it.

Listen up, Malaichami. - Sir?

You're here to follow my orders.

If I must do everything myself, you don't need to be in this job!

Get your voluntary retirement and leave! - I'll get it done.

Get to it. - Yes, sir.

Arrest them!

Arrest the 'Karuthu Kootam' staff!

Arrest them! - Arrest the 'Karuthu Kootam' staff!

Arrest them!

Arrest them! - Arrest the 'Karuthu Kootam' staff!

Move aside! Why such a crowd?

Is this a show?

Catch it!

No fighting!

Hello? - Sir?

Moorthi...

Pass the phone to Dr. Udayakumar.

He has malaria and is on leave, sir.

Then what about the post-mortem?

Are you going to do it?

No, sir. His assistant Anitha...

A low cost quota that got a doctor's coat, huh?

Sir?

Has the body been sent for post-mortem? - Yes, sir.

To the Udumalaipet General Hospital [GH]. - Why? No GHs closer?

If it's any near, the townsfolk will make trouble there too!

They created big trouble before we could get the bodies away.

When is the report coming? - It'll come soon.

It won't tell us much.

The odds are high that it's an honor killing.

That's what the news will say tomorrow.

The post-mortem report isn't even here yet!

Who already told the press about honor killings?

I didn't, sir!

Much like how we investigate, the press must have asked 'those things'...

Er... 'them'... The press must have enquired among them, sir.

Anything turned up on Sathya?

Which Sathya, sir?

Of course, sir! We're looking!

How many villages around the SOC?

Around two or three.

Ask around those places.

Let's see if something turns up.

The two of you come over to my house. - Okay.

I want Kumaran's case files.

Sir!

"The number you're trying to reach has been switched off."

Nataraj? - Sir?

I've been trying to reach Venkat all day. His phone's off.

Please check his house. - Yes, sir.

You mustn't be here! Leave! - How much longer do we wait?

You won't let us inside the police station.

If you won't allow us here too...?

We won't even go in.

We'll just meet him out here.

How can you say so, sir? - Move!

Sir's coming! Move! - Please consider...

That'll do, dear.

When we first came with a complaint about our missing children...

If you heeded us and taken up the case...

...our children will not be missing still.

If you're innocent, why is Kumaran hiding?

Why let snakes loose at the station?

They're non-poisonous, sir.

They have lesser venom than the men at your station.

She's Kurunji, sir.

The missing girl Sathya's elder sister.

She speaks out of frustration.

Alright. Give me some more time.

After the post-mortem report arrives, I'll take legal action.

"Legal action"?

As if in this country, there's any respect for either the law or for us!

Gunasekaran beat up our kids.

Jaya and Suganthi worked at Gunasekaran's rope factory.

When school was off, Sathya would join them.

Last Sunday, he beat them up because they asked for ₹30 more in wages.

How much?

A mere ₹30.

Tell me, Nataraj. - I'll give her the phone.

Go ahead.

He left home at four in the morning, brother.

He still hasn't returned. - Alright.

Have him call me when he's back.

Alright, brother.

What is it, Vasan?

What's with you and Kurunji? - We were classmates, sir.

So I spoke to her.

She's a relative.

Malaichami? - Sir?

You still haven't filed the missing person report for Sathya.

The Inspector said he'd file it himself.

Munnusamy, who committed suicide over the TikTok ban...

He has assigned me to that case.

I was short on time, sir.

"Short on time"? - Yes, sir.

Do you have time now?

Meet Kurunji and get a full statement...

...about what Sathya wore on the day she went missing.

Another important thing! - Sir?

Find out where Gunasekaran was on the sixteenth and seventeenth.

What is it?

Such happenings are quite common around here, sir.

Soon, they'll forget all about it.

Can you please just do what I say?

Don't I know what's common and what's not?

What I'm saying, sir...

Get the hell out of here!

Sir? - Sir...

Let's go. - He's trying to say something...

Can't you see he's worked up?

Why do you keep talking back?

Was he scolding me?

No. He just told us to get back to work. Let's go.

"Get back to work?"

"Go fuck here..."

"Do your work."

Please make me a cup of tea,Anandhi.

Anandhi?

Another attempt at the exam, brother. I study whenever I get time...

Okay, I got this. - I'll do it!

No, I'll do it!

Go back to your studies. That's more important.

Anandhi?

What subject? - "Englees."

It's not 'Englees'. It's English.

That won't be one of the questions. So no worries.

That's true.

Didn't you study abroad?

Do even beggars speak good English there?

Who speaks good English at your school?

Sathya speaks well!

She tends to talk too much too!

When did you last see her?

Four months ago.

The day the exam result was out.

As I had flunked, I avoided people, not wanting them to make fun of me.

Alright. Study.

Yesterday morning, when the ASP said his name was 'just Vijayaraghavan'...

...you should've seen our man!

His face just fell!

What do you suppose is Sir's caste?

I'm not exactly sure.

I'll find out by tomorrow.

There he is!

Jimmy!

Puli! Come on out!

How are you?

I heard you went to "Plastered Pandi's" house!

Venkat didn't pick up Sir's calls.

So Sir asked me to check.

What happened? - He had stepped out at 4 AM.

He still isn't back.

Get back to work.

Moorthi... - Sir?

If I said 'Good Morning' to you, how would you respond?

I'd greet you back, sir.

You know what that ASP does?

As soon as I greet him, he starts badgering me about reports!

If he sees me tomorrow...

...he's really going to chew me out!

What do I do?

I've been asking for it all day, sir.

It's the doctor who is delaying it.

Really? - Yes, sir.

Come. I'll ask her myself.

Sir is here, doctor.

Only a provisional report for now.

The final report will take time.

What does the report say?

Rape.

Gangrape.

They had tortured her for two to three days.

Did Dr. Udayakumar not instruct you?

He did.

But I can't do what he says.

I have a conscience.

"Conscience"?

What conscience?

When medical college admission was denied to those who scored 198 marks...

The conscience that didn't prick when you got in through quota with a mere 195...

Is that what you're referring to?

Even if the girl who scored 198 was in my place, she wouldn't do what you ask.

Sir?

Dr. Udayakumar is on the phone.

Doctor...

The report from your assistant will cause unrest in the district.

Should the ASP look at the report...

...you'll graduate from malaria to jaundice!

Just because people practically worship doctors...

...do you want people to pay homage to the picture of your dead self?

Try to understand, doctor.

Would she ever flaunt her doctor's coat again?

How can she anymore?

You had asked for the case files of Kumaran and his friends.

I've brought them, sir.

Wow, you've actually filed all these complaints!

So, it's only when I ask you to, you don't do it!

Kumaran dabbled in politics too?

Yes, sir. He was in the youth wing of a caste-based party.

In two years, he gained great standing among the youngsters.

He became a big shot in the party too!

Then how come there are so many files on him?

If those in power don't like someone, us bureaucrats must follow suit, right?

Who in our station likes Gunasekaran?

He's a rich man. He's got political clout too.

Everyone's bound to like him, sir.

He was very close to the ASP before you.

What about Malaichami?

He may be named after a God. But he's too much of a coward.

He will do neither right nor wrong.

He just follows orders from the higher-ups, sir.

And Inspector Sundaram?

Take home the bodies, cremate them, and skip town for four months.

I'll call you once the case cools off.

It is our custom to bury our dead, sir.

Burn them.

Understood? - Yes, sir!

My daughter!

Kumara! Before we could get there, the police wiped clean everything!

They are waiting to trap you!

Knowing well you are in hiding...

...they pinned these murders on you and your father!

Poor Kurunji!

Ever since our girls went missing, she's been waiting out at the police's door.

No one pays heed to her!

We are humans like them too.

When will they understand our pain?

All this time...

We restrained ourselves because we did not want to hurt them.

That is why, despite knowing that we hurt...

...they never feel our pain.

♪ Some laugh... Some others cry... ♪

♪ I laugh as I cry ♪

I am afraid of nightfall!

Why, sir?

All to do with my lineage!

Do you know how big a challenge it is for my people to come up in life?

When I became a cop...

...my caste people believed I was their dusky messiah.

But at the station? I'm not even respected as a human being!

Oh no, sir...

Isn't that the truth?

Did you notice?

Has the Inspector ever called me by name?

"Hey!" "You!"

But Mr. Vijay... - Oh, come on!

I don't know why he's mad at me.

He's always scolding me!

Have you ever seen him say one cross word to the Inspector?

He cannot look beyond the fellowship of their caste.

Really? Sir is of the same caste?

As if you don't know...

Sir!

Hey! Who's out there?

Who dares throw explosives at a police jeep?

Who's out there? Come on out!

Get out here!

Kumara?

When they told me at the station you are a terrorist, I didn't believe it.

But have you sunk so low as to bomb your own childhood friends?

No wonder they call you that.

If we wanted to kill you, it won't just be the jeep in flames.

Hey!

Did you use these guns to threaten our men to give false testimonies?

I'll take care of those who killed our girls.

Our people must be released!

If not...

Next time, the police station will go up in flames!

The raging fire...

...couldn't care less about who my relatives or childhood friends are.

Vasan and I were heading back after our enquiry at the girls' workplace.

Suddenly, a fireball landed on our jeep.

We couldn't tell what was happening.

We just took off from either side!

It was like the kind of bomb used to scare away the elephants.

That kind of bomb needs to be thrown from close range.

Did you not see who it was? - No, sir.

How many people in all? - Six.

Couldn't you get a good look at anyone?

They were all masked.

We gave chase, but they ran into the darkness, sir.

Why? Didn't you have a gun?

I did, sir...

They had guns too, sir.

Therefore, six armed men didn't return fire.

When you gave chase, they ran away in fear.

Correct? - Sir?

They had thrown a petrol bomb, sir.

You've said something else here.

If this report suits your conscience, gladly sign off on it.

Whose side are you on?

I don't know, sir.

I am on whichever side you want me to be.

It was Kumaran, sir.

The deceased Jaya's brother.

Furious at the false charges our dept. made against the girls' fathers, he did this.

He threatened to burn down the station if we don't handle this case properly.

All these days, he had been into petty crimes, sir.

Now, he's graduated to the next level and burnt down the police jeep.

If we spare him, he'll make Tamil Nadu another violent state!

It was wrong of me to trust you with this case.

From now, I'll handle it myself!

Where's the post-mortem report?

It's here, sir!

No problems there.

One signature from you, and we can close this case.

Call Contractor Gunasekaran to the station.

"Gunasekaran"?

Why must we interrogate him?

I only asked you to bring him over. I never said 'interrogate'.

Do you think an interrogation will reveal the truth?

I'm saying this for your own good, sir.

He's quite a big shot!

Why bother for those things...

Stop dehumanizing them like this!

What do you mean 'those'? Are they cattle?

Or are they aliens?

You address even snakes and dogs with names.

Are these people lesser?

This is my last warning!

Sorry, sir.

If Gunasekaran is at my desk...

...and the true report is on my desk...

...I'll sign.

As a well-wisher, I plead to you with folded hands! Don't do it, sir!

If we interrogate Gunasekaran, we'll be answerable to his uncle, sir!

He's sewer, sir! Why must we plunge into that filth?

If one must plunge into the filth to find the truth, I'll be the first to jump in!

Bloody mongrel!

Did you bloody hear what he said?

He'll just merrily go his way!

It's you and me who will be stuck in this hell for life!

So you've gotten gutsy enough to mess with politicians?

If he goes ahead...

...I'll end up a bell ringer at the temple, while you pick up garbage on the street!

You blabbed to him, right? Now go!

Go stop him!

Why don't you do it, sir?

You are afraid because he is a senior officer.

It is the same for me.

You need guts to talk back.

If I had that, I'd have walked away from this ages ago!

Head to Kumaran's place. - Yes, sir.

My grandfather used to say...

"Society and law, both have tiers."

First, the kings. Under them, the ministers.

Below them, the commanders. And then, the servants.

Each man suited for a particular kind of job.

My grandfather said, only then the system will work well.

Alright. Now you tell me.

Did the people under him, make him the king?

Or did the king make everyone below him?

My grandfather didn't tell me that.

But that's the way of life, sir!

Humans don't have the power to change it, sir.

If everyone is equal, then who is the king?

If everyone is equal, who will become the king?

The one who believes in the equality of all humans.

The townsfolk are here, sir.

Jagannathan, Balu, Paunraj, and Muthaiyan.

You four have falsely testified against the girls' fathers.

I need to question you. Step forward.

They haven't been in town for the last two days.

No idea where they went.

Does anyone know where Kumaran is?

He burned down a police jeep.

If anyone tries to protect him, they'll be arrested too!

When in town, he stays in your police station. Go check there, sir.

That's how these people are, sir. They'll never understand.

Why trouble yourself, sir?

Why don't you just...

I'm sorry, sir.

Please forgive me.

What's going on? - They came looking for Kumaran.

Kumaran isn't a criminal, sir!

Nataraj... - Sir...

There are 13 pending cases against him!

He sold weed in his schooldays.

He assaulted a minibus conductor.

He issued a bomb threat to the Collector's office.

He incited violence at the minister's political meeting!

Even in last week's wall issue...

That conductor said the bus must be washed as our people travelled in it.

In school, he stood up to the weed dealers.

But they charged him for selling weed.

He protested against the minister who wasn't serving his constituency.

Claiming he started a riot, they arrested him.

They never could find out who made the bomb threat to the collector's office.

So, on our wedding day...

They stopped our wedding, dragged him away by force...

...and released him only a month later!

What about yesterday's petrol bomb meant to kill two people in a police jeep?

You call that a venerable act?

We are fighting hard for two lost lives.

It's not our intention to take any life.

If the intention is not to kill, then why the bomb attack?

If one does not listen, they need to be told differently.

No one follows the law here.

But each of you have a law of your own, huh?

Kumaran respects the law second to only Dr. Ambedkar.

Give us justice as provisioned by the law.

You needn't even look for him. He himself will surrender to you.

We've begun looking for Sathya.

Tell Kumaran to surrender.

Does anyone in the search party know what Sathya looks like?

The cops don't even have her picture.

How are you? - I'm good. Come in, brother.

When did he last call?

I tried calling him.

He left at 4 AM but did not return even until 7 PM. So I called him.

His phone is switched off.

How does Venkat know Gunasekaran?

Just a passing acquaintance.

That's all.

Alright. Don't be afraid.

Call me if you need anything. - Yes, brother.

Don't dump it all on the same spot, Devendran!

Get some here too! It will be easy to sweep up.

Sir?

Have a sentry posted at Venkat's house immediately, Vasan.

Okay, sir.

Put informants on duty at wine shops and bars.

Have Venkat's phone traced.

Tap Archana's phone too.

Okay, sir.

Why is the Ambedkar statue in a cage, Vellalan?

Plenty of people here from dominant castes, sir.

If there's a riot, they'll damage the statue!

So, they have it inside a cage.

Periyar statue's in a cage too.

He says there should be no castes!

So, he's in a cage too.

You readied the post-mortem report for Jaya and Suganthi, yes?

Yes. You can collect it from the senior doctor when he gets back.

I'm going on leave.

Was it rape?

Yes.

Gangrape.

They had them tortured for two days.

But does it even matter?

It does matter.

Don't go on leave. Have the courage to support me.

Give me the provisional certificate when it's ready.

Safeguard the girls' DNA samples.

You may have to test more people.

Dr. Anitha.

Don't be afraid. I got your back.

The water doesn't get dirty when they bathe in it.

How can it be dirtied if we drink from it?

How dare! There's a difference between dirt and sacrilege.

Such arrogance from just drinking a glass of water from our well?

Sundaram? - Sir!

What's the matter? - Nothing, sir.

A thing about the well. I'll handle it, sir.

Yes, that's right.

Sir!

What's the issue with the well?

Guys from the colony drew water to drink from a well in the upper caste residency.

Why? Can't they drink from that well?

They can't, sir. It's sacrilege.

What 'sacrilege'?

Well...

Well, sir...

Sacrilege as in... sacrilege, sir.

Exactly. What does that mean?

Sir...

The kids drinking out of that well is an act of sacrilege.

Hold on!

It's like an act of sin towards God, sir. - Yes, sir.

Can you drink from that well?

I can, sir. I'm from the BC community.

How about you? - I must not!

So, you and those guys are the same?

No, sir.

Within our caste hierarchy, I'm above those boys.

There are lots of divisions even among them, sir.

You? - I'm an MBC, sir.

"MBC"? How did you become an MBC?

Your people did not agree to be categorized so.

Half of them agreed, right? I can show you my certificate.

Are you MBC?

Yes, sir.

I'm an FC, sir.

Sundaram?

Mr. Sundaram is FC too, sir.

So you and Sundaram are the same?

No, sir!

I'm a saiva vellalar, sir.

Mr. Sundaram is a brahmin.

He's at the top of the hierarchy.

Oh stop it, Vasan!

Sir is above the Inspector!

He's an Iyengar, right?

You crackpot! Would a son inherit his mother's caste?

So, Sir doesn't even belong to our religion.

His father's a Christian!

What do you mean 'Christian' in India? It can only have been a religious conversion.

Such drivel!

Not me, sir...

Everyone at the station says so...

What the hell is happening here?

Yes, sir! Okay, sir!

Sorry, sir. I'll bring him back.

Mr. Malaichami!

Where are you off to?

Didn't he tell us to quickly get to work?

When?

When he said 'what the fuck'?

Oh, that's not what it means! Come!

You'll get me in trouble!

If there were three of them, why kill only the two?

Sathya!

How far from here did the children live?

Two kilometres up north.

The quarry they worked?

Five kilometres this side.

Vasan... Send copies of Sathya's photo...

...to every station in our circle and have them look for her.

Okay, sir.

We must find out what happened to Sathya within the next two days.

Yes, sir! - Okay, sir.

What happened during the reign of Emperor Harichandra?

Truth was tested, but did it tumble?

Feel this, brotheren!

At the pyre where everyone ends up at last...

Is it here? Oh no!

Where will I look?

I climbed unscalable hills! I crossed uncrossable seas!

With tears streaming, I ran, I searched, my dear!

Where will I find you, my darling?

♪ Over the lands, far and wide ♪

♪ Emperor Harichandra reigned supreme ♪

♪ He left his kingdom behind, and gave up all his riches too ♪

♪ Like dust from a scorched land, he drifted away as smoke ♪

♪ After losing all his belongings, he ended up at the pyre ♪

♪ Over the lands far and wide ♪

♪ Emperor Harichandra reigned supreme ♪

♪ The silk robe lies discarded, the palanquin cast aside on the street ♪

♪ Despite wandering many towns, no food to sate hunger ♪

♪ No sights to feast on... No places to traverse to... ♪

♪ After being reduced to dust, there is no more caste ♪

♪ All those outdated almanacs are digging our graves ♪

♪ The bane of the poor, which ends up burying us ♪

♪ Good fortune will rain down from the roof, they say ♪

♪ We have not even roofs over our heads, then why torment us so? ♪

This isn't Sathya, sir.

Come to my office tomorrow, Vijay. There's a meeting.

Okay, sir.

The SP wants to meet me in the morning, Malaichami.

You continue the search. - Yes, sir.

What can we do to oppose the cops and government?

I'm not asking you to do anything to oppose either of them.

Show your protest by doing nothing!

Alright, dear. Until you say so, we won't pick up our brooms.

Kumara! My wife and I will no longer step into the sewer.

Okay, Kumara. Until you say so, we won't collect the town garbage.

I clean the lunch box and bathroom for my teacher at school.

Until Brother Kumaran says so, I won't do it anymore.

Let them clean up their own shit.

Only then, will they know the difference between shit and people!

♪ Over the lands, far and wide... ♪

♪ Emperor Harichandra reigned supreme ♪

That girl's from a street different from ours.

My daughter doesn't go there.

♪ The rains are unfailing... The crops are bountiful... ♪

♪ The lamenting poor though, know no way to rise up ♪

♪ Flowers bloom amidst the thorns... The moon shines in our backyard too ♪

♪ Yet, there is no compassion from the idol made out of stone ♪

♪ In spite of prayers plenty, He does not spare us a kind look ♪

♪ In spite of our devout offerings, He does not protect our kin ♪

♪ No dearth of laws to bury the truth in lies ♪

♪ The one who buys out justice stands before your very eyes ♪

♪ Over the lands, far and wide ♪

♪ Emperor Harichandra reigned supreme ♪

♪ He left his kingdom behind, and gave up all his riches too ♪

♪ Like dust from a scorched land he drifted away as smoke ♪

♪ After losing all his belongings he reached the cemetery ♪

♪ Emperor Harichandra ♪

Malaichami! - Sir?

Kurunji said in her statement, that Sathya's slippers were pink.

This was a clean pond, sir.

With all the herding, it's a pig swamp now.

Any village on that side?

No, sir. Just forest land for about sixteen kilometres.

Any other route into the forest?

You need to wade through the water. No other way.

Sathya couldn't have escaped this way, sir.

It's full of thorny bush!

You can't move one inch forward barefoot!

What do you mean?

Cannot give a chase or cannot make an escape?

Sir?

Sweep properly! It's a public place!

Sir! - Why is the road full of garbage?

Who could have done this?

I called them to go in and clear it, but they refuse to come, sir.

How are you a cop?

It's seven years since the law was passed making manual scavenging illegal!

Do you know it or not?

Vasan! - Sir?

Call the municipality office and have them send a machine to clear this!

Okay, sir.

I'll call later.

The SP is here, sir.

You were so busy searching for that girl to even pick up my call?

Do you know what a sensitive case this is?

Yet, you are making it a spectacle!

Are you trying to create a law and order problem?

Why show your ego to this man?

You leave the circle inspector behind, yet you take SI Malaichami along!

His experience is more valuable than your IPS knowledge.

Put your ego aside, listen to what he says and close this case today!

Got it?

Don't delay it.

Shall we close the file, sir?

Hi.

You sound off. Are you still sleeping?

I haven't slept a wink in three days.

What happened?

Aditi...

What would you do if you had ₹30?

I'm starving, ma'am! Please help!

Be well, dear lady!

What happened, Vijay?

For a mere ₹30, two children were raped and murdered.

Who knows what happened to the third girl!

There are plenty of such cases in India.

It's become quite normal.

That's just it, Aditi!

This attitude of acceptance is what has led to indifference to everything.

Back in Europe, I bragged about my country.

As if it was my dad's.

They talked highly about Ambedkar, Abdul Kalam, AR Rahman and Sachin...

...as if they were my family.

I felt proud to call myself an Indian!

Aren't you proud now?

Of course I am.

That's why it hurts.

Worse than nuclear war...

A war for basic human rights is being waged across India!

While I look for the missing child...

...my colleagues are seeking to learn my caste!

Only to foreigners, we are all Indians, Aditi.

But here?

"What caste are you? What caste am I?"

Even worse, some people consider Dr. Ambedkar, who wrote our constitution...

...as some kind of caste leader!

This is all wrong, Aditi!

It must be changed!

It cannot be changed!

IPS officers cannot be transferred out on a whim!

So we're supposed to let it lie?

What are you saying?

Did I say I'd let it lie?

I said I'll deal with it tactfully!

We are the ones with power and authority!

What does he have?

"The Indian Constitution, 1950."

You have the law. But you need witnesses.

None of your witnesses are alive.

She's not just a witness...

Sathya is the heart of this case!

It will be beating in agony over the two lost lives.

This is Balaji, sir.

Sathya's schoolmate.

Are you a close friend of Sathya?

Yes, sir.

When did you last see her?

Last Sunday evening, sir.

When they left, did anyone follow them?

No, sir. The road was deserted.

Sir!

I saw a yellow bus at a distance.

It's rare for buses to go on this road.

The kid probably saw a lorry and thought it was a bus.

One minute, sir.

Hello?

Alright.

At 4 AM, Venkat got a call from mechanic Suresh.

Bring him in. - Okay, sir.

The sewage dredger is here.

What then are you all doing?

I brought in the machine with our officers' help.

We don't know how to operate it.

On Kumaran's orders, the workers are on strike!

Malaichami? - Sir?

How many constables in total in all the police stations of our circle?

Around fifty, sir.

Have them all come in at 6 AM tomorrow.

Sir?

Do we really need all of them to clean our station?

I meant to help us find Sathya.

Oh... Okay, sir!

We will thoroughly search tomorrow the swamp and the area around it.

Okay, sir.

A scuffle at the wine shop, sir.

He had printed his caste name on his father's obituary poster.

This man asked him if the obituary was for his father or for his caste.

That brought on a clash.

Gunasekaran is here, sir.

Sir...

You'll get a transfer and move on.

But we will have to remain here.

If it gets known we are interrogating him, they'll kill us, sir.

Please, sir...

Just one signature from you and all this can be sorted.

The minister took your number. He'll call you any time.

Sir!

Why did you beat up those children?

For asking a raise.

For a mere thirty more rupees?

For asking more.

If they ask for more, you will beat them up?

I initially refused, sir.

The bitches threatened to quit!

They stirred up the other workers too!

People need to be put in their place, sir!

"Their place"?

The place we've assigned them, sir.

Had you given them proper places...

...why would they be living on the fringes?

Be that as it may, sir.

Isn't there a difference between employer and employee?

I'll say it again, sir.

Each has their own assigned work, sir.

Each must remain in their own proper place, sir.

Only then will there be balance in society!

If we let them be our equals...

...society will stink up like your police station!

IPC 302.

376.

366.

366a.

SC/ST Act. POCSO.

Do you know what these are?

He's forgotten it a long time ago.

You tell me. Do you know?

I don't know, sir.

The sections that will be slapped on the accused of this case.

The laws I quoted, does not differentiate between employers or employees.

Now tell me.

Where were you on the sixteenth?

I was at home, sir.

I was at home on the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth.

Where were your friends?

I have friends everywhere, sir.

Whom do you refer to?

I want Gunasekaran's DNA sample to be tested.

Well, sir... When I went to take the DNA test done for those girls...

...someone from your department got the report falsified.

She's here to test Gunasekaran's DNA sample.

Don't we need a medical report, Sundaram?

How then can we tell 'Unknown number' that Gunasekaran is innocent?

Why don't you personally go get the report?

We need to maintain the balance he spoke of, don't we?

Sir...

Will you not consider the rest of us, sir?

Okay, sir.

He was the one, sir!

Now on, anytime you collect samples, take two of them.

Go along with him to test one.

I'll tell you what to do with the other.

Okay, sir.

Is dinner ready, Anandhi?

Anandhi?

Anandhi?

Anandhi?

Anandhi?

Anandhi?

Tirupathi!

Tirupathi! - Sir?

Where is Anandhi?

She went to the market an hour and a half ago.

Call her.

I did, but she didn't pick up.

Why didn't you tell me sooner? - I thought she'd be back!

How can she? Don't you know the danger to young girls in this place?

Call Nataraj. Start the car, Vellalan! Anandhi's missing.

I'll look for her! - Come, Vellalan!

Yes, sir!

Where were you?

We went to take a picture for the exam hall ticket.

Couldn't you have called to let us know?

Do you know how worried he was?

Mechanic Suresh, sir.

Why did you call Venkat?

He had given his bike to repair.

He hadn't paid up, so I called to ask about it.

So, you call him at 4 in the morning?

My parents had to go to the temple at five in the morning, sir.

They really needed the money.

Venkat promised to pay up the night before.

That's why I called him.

I verified it, sir. As he said, his parents did go to the temple.

You may go. - Yes, sir.

Any leads on Venkat? - No, sir.

His phone is still turned off.

In spite of my asking, no one has turned up?

They feel uneasy about getting into the pig swamp.

People of my caste will do it.

But now, even they...

They need Kumaran's go-ahead.

They're from the next station.

Sir!

You asked us to come.

Are you from Scheduled Caste?

No, sir.

What do you want us to do, sir?

Malaichami! - Sir?

We need more people, Vasan. I want to meet Kumaran.

He doesn't respond to invites.

Besides, we don't even know where he is!

Tell Kurunji this came from me.

Yes, sir.

My broom has touched every inch of this school, sir!

I was sweeping up this place for about fifteen years.

One second.

Hello?

Vijay... the DNA we sampled from the three girls...

...matches with that of Gunasekaran.

There are three other samples, too.

Okay.

Email me the report. - Sure, I'll do that.

Okay.

I've received the hard copy. Please e-mail this to Sir.

Yeah, I'll do that.

"Untouchability is a sin."

"Untouchability is a crime."

"Untouchability is inhuman."

Teaching such lies is what tore down this school.

Right, sir?

You sent for me?

Send your people, Kumaran. I need your help to find Sathya.

Why bother looking for Sathya?

The girls' parents are dead.

But her sister's here.

Just put her in jail. That will close the case.

He was quite bright during schooldays, sir.

He was the class topper.

Nobody'd believe it if he scored below ninety marks!

Such a good boy he was!

Why?

What happened to the 'good boy'?

He broke so bad as to fling bombs at his classmate!

For any theft or murder in town...

...if the cops arrest you, beat you half to death...

...and pin every bloody crime on you?

Wouldn't you do that too?

Break Bad.

Even when you yell out in pain, you only get chided for yelling.

No one questions the assaulters!

Isn't that why you have political parties for each caste?

That's what I believed too, sir.

I thought our party would ease our pain.

But...

I learnt the parties actually thrive on our pain.

Others oppress our people as an act of authority.

But our own people do it...

...as an act of politics.

Many of our people who rose up the ranks, turned traitors...

...and are stomping us too.

No one's stopping you from protesting.

We're just saying there are more peaceful ways to do it.

You want us to go on a hunger strike?

You expect those who couldn't understand 2,000 years of our starvation...

...to suddenly understand our hunger strike?

Not again, the 2,000 year crap!

How much has changed in the last sixty years?

Haven't you noticed?

Sir...

My father was headmaster in the school where his father was a sweeper.

Today, the two of us work together!

As equals!

Why do you never notice that?

There is pain in every caste, Kumara.

There is pain in every caste.

But the pain that comes from caste discrimination...

...is only in ours.

A girl from our caste went to cook at the government school.

They drove her out directly!

Just because she cooked it...

...they dumped all of the rice meant for 150 people!

They tied up and beat the kids who dared to question them!

Will they ever do that to people of other castes?

Kumaran...

I may not have experienced your pain, but I understand it.

But this eye for an eye approach?

It won't show the way. It will only lead to pain.

Only solutions by law will be lasting.

That's what Ambedkar said too.

Sir...

Even if we raise our voice a bit, we get told off for being insolent.

What good is the law to us, sir?

Didn't the very same Ambedkar you mentioned...

...say he'd set ablaze the law if it is used to commit crimes?

Now, if anyone uses the law to commit crimes...

Not only will I set the law ablaze...

I'll burn along with it, those who committed the crime.

Instilling fear in criminals against an individual or a movement...

...is not a permanent solution.

Law is the only permanent solution.

Well, sir...

Have you ever questioned those who assault us, sir?

And if you did, did they even answer you?

He has come to you as a last resort only after questioning them all!

He's a lone warrior fighting to recover our girl.

He needs your help right now!

Try to understand!

Why does the police need this rogue's support?

Paper documents are our only evidence in the quest for justice for the dead kids.

Paper has no life.

Anything can happen to it.

Ready the vehicle. - Malaichami!

Sir!

Is the team ready to arrest Gunasekaran? - Yes, sir!

Sir...

Please don't take it the wrong way.

Word's going around that the case will be handed over to the CBI.

Why must we arrest Gunasekaran?

Who said that?

A rumor at the station, sir.

Can I tell you something as a well-wisher, Sundaram?

Believing in rumors is more dangerous than spreading them!

Do not believe them.

Gunasekaran's school is nearby, sir.

I saw a yellow bus at a distance.

Call the dog squad, Vasan. - Okay, sir!

Open this door. - It's a storeroom, sir!

Only trash in there!

Open it anyway. - I don't have the key!

Only the owner has it.

Hey... you said it was a store room, but it looks clean!

In my two years of service here, I've never seen it so clean!

It appears they recently cleaned it.

Vasan! - Sir?

Send this hair for a DNA test...

...and check if it matches with any of the girls'.

Okay, sir.

Call the forensics.

Sir!

Sir is here! - No! He's not!

It's not him! Please listen! Step aside!

Stay back!

Sir.

Who asked them to come? - I did, sir.

The ASP told me to.

Why didn't you tell me?

Didn't you tell me to follow orders from a senior office without hesitation?

ASP Vijay! - Come along! Quick!

Sir! - Sir!

Sir! - One second, sir!

Out of the way! - Just one question, sir!

Please, sir...

You needed an entire week to think up an answer?

I only need ten seconds to answer you.

I needed the time to find out the truth.

What is the truth, sir?

"In the honor killing case of two girls at Sudhandhirapalayam, Pollachi..."

"...there's been a new development. They were both raped and brutally killed."

"The fate of a third girl remains unknown."

"This was announced by Vijayaraghavan, the Assistant Superintendent of Pollachi."

Have you found the killers?

Based on the evidence we found...

...rope factory owner Gunasekaran and his men are the perpetrators.

"They'll be arrested soon."

What's the motive behind this murder?

Arrogance!

"Knowing there is evidence that the killer is..."

"...the nephew of minister Nachiappan..."

"...the general public and social activists are speculating what action will be taken."

Let's continue our discussion.

Did you say the ruling party is responsible for such violence against women?

When they are the cause, how can they prevent it?

Oh, stop it!

He's making baseless accusations against our party.

The public are well aware!

That's what I'm saying. The public are well aware!

The ASP himself announced it!

Are you saying Gunasekaran has no ties to the school?

Or do you claim Gunasekaran has no ties to minister Nachiappan?

Why think of it as prison sentence?

Consider it as political grooming.

I'll give you two options.

Deny your involvement, disown your nephew and save your position.

Or we'll disown you both and save the party.

Either way, your nephew can't be saved.

We'll transfer the case to the CBI.

And hope people will forget all about it, as usual.

So many cases filed against Kumaran.

Why could you not file even a single charge-sheet?

Why could you not produce him in court even once?

I don't believe Sathya will be found!

Brother!

We followed mechanic Suresh for four days!

We found out where Gunasekaran is!

We're here to ensure criminals are punished, Sundaram.

Not punish innocents and turn them to crime.

Suresh is in the barn where his mother works.

As there is no other evidence against Kumaran besides the jeep burning...

...under IPC 468, I use my full powers as ASP to drop all cases against him.

Kumara...

We must kill and hang the monster as he did our girls!

Let's go!

"I am not saying anything new."

"Like halwa is to Tirunelveli, jasmine to Madurai, padlock to Dindugul."

"In the same vein, law and order is prime to our party!"

"So, even if the accused be a minister's nephew..."

"...or even be the minister himself..."

"...the law will do its duty."

"As Gunasekaran is in hiding..."

You're quite the guy, brother! You stowed yourself away well!

Never mind that!

Get some booze for me.

Didn't you already have two half bottles, brother?

I was too wasted to know how much I was drinking.

Right then. I'll get it.

It appears the Inspector is here.

Buy him something vegetarian. - Okay, brother.

"...as this YouTube channel came under fire from the Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam..."

"...it has been permanently shut down."

"It's entire archive of videos has been removed."

Where is Sathya? Tell me!

Where is Sathya? - I don't know!

Tell me!

Where is Sathya? Tell me!

Where is Sathya? What did you do to her? Tell me!

Do I run a police station?

Why ask me about it?

Go ask the police!

Asking you nicely will get us nowhere!

I ought to...

Go on!

When it comes to everything else, we are untouchable.

But that doesn't stop you from ruining our girls, does it?

Tell me where Sathya is!

Tell me where Sathya is!

I'll say it again!

I don't know where she is!

Why I... - Wait!

It is true that we had her locked up.

But when we brought her out to kill her, she escaped!

We went looking for her.

But could not find her!

The drinks I had...

...flows out as blood!

Do you think only you hurt when hit, Kumara?

Kumara!

Excellent!

Get it over with, Kumara.

Shoot him!

I don't want a painful, disgraceful life. Like what you people lead.

Why do you hesitate, Kumara?

Shoot him!

Kumara...

What the hell are you doing?

Let's hand him over to ASP Vijay.

What the hell, Kumara? How can you talk like this?

We were destitute for so long because of the goddamn cops!

You expect me to trust a cop?

I trust the law he wields.

Don't you realize why this mongrel quietly hides away here?

Because the ASP rightly speaks the law!

When the law is wielded by clear-headed people, we need not take it in our hands.

We've been deceived for so many years.

Just this one time, let us believe we will not deceived.

Listen to me, Kumara! Things are escalating out there!

Don't show up and get caught!

Hand him over to me! Like you wanted, I'm here to arrest him!

So you just found out he was here, did you?

You're a mercenary of the government!

I can't leave him with you!

I know what to do with him!

Get going! Start the bike!

Get on! Come!

Get the bike running!

Get on!

Climb on, I said! - Kumara!

Climb on!

See, Kumara? This is fate.

First, we had to fight to save him from you.

Now...

You're fighting to save him from us.

There's nothing you don't know.

If he lives, some others will be in danger.

Kumara!

Sir? - Right.

I'll pick some up from there.

The cops are going to arrest the boss, I hear?

It's all over the news.

For what you did in the school building, you'll be arrested next!

Sir!

Sir...

I got information that Gunasekaran was here.

When I got here, Kumaran was already here.

Kumaran shot Gunasekaran and tried to shoot me too, sir.

I had to shoot him in self-defence, sir.

Sir...

Both men who committed atrocities are dead.

Just one signature from you, sir.

Let's close this case, sir.

Sir...

Give us justice as provisioned by the law.

You needn't even look for him. He himself will surrender to you.

♪ A world of no tears ♪

♪ Together, let's pave ♪

♪ Come on forth... ♪

♪ ...and be that path ♪

♪ Dims not, dulls not... ♪

♪ The fire in you ♪

♪ Fades not, ends not... ♪

♪ The justice of solace ♪

Sir?

The CBI are here.

Tell them I'm coming. - Yes, sir.

How long has it been since Anitha joined? - About six months, sir.

Water, sir.

Set it down.

What's your name? - Devendran, sir.

I meant your full name.

My full name is Devendran, sir.

[IN HINDI] Don't know your father's name? - Sir?

[IN HINDI] Nothing.

Call your Assistant Superintendent. - Yes, sir.

Hey!

Take this away.

Sir?

I'm coming. - Okay, sir.

We found Venkat, sir!

Not only that...

We checked CCTV footage from the bank opposite Gunasekaran's house.

It shows on the day the girls were killed, Venkat had met Gunasekaran at 4:30 AM.

Sir!

What does your ASP say? - He says 'sorry', sir.

"Sorry"!

We've located Venkat.

I'm heading to meet him now.

It's the police! Get inside!

Hurry!

Let me go, man!

Why do you run and hide like this, Venkat?

I know nothing! Let me go! I must go!

Let me go, Vijay!

You met Gunasekaran at his house on the 16th!

The CCTV cameras opposite his house recorded everything!

Tell me the truth! There's no way out!

The investigation formalities are complete, sir.

We just need to submit it to the court.

I'll call you back, sir. Yes, sir.

[IN HINDI] Got better things to do that makes you skip out on duty?

Sorry, sir?

Don't you know Hindi?

No, sir.

No matter how many times we tell you...

...you people won't learn Hindi, yes?

Learning languages should come out of interest, sir.

But to impose learning of a language, is arrogance, sir.

No one is against any language here, sir. Only against that arrogance.

Well...

There is a complaint that you have a bias against SCs and STs.

No, sir.

When you first came here, did you ask the other cops about their castes?

I did not understand why they still perpetuate a wrong from 2,000 years ago.

I merely questioned them to better understand it.

That may be true.

But this is an offence, under the SC/ST Act.

I know, sir.

There's been a complaint against you that you tried inciting a caste riot.

So, we are suspending you.

Stop working on this case.

You can't handle anything in a neutral way, can you?

In our country, criminals form 5 percent of the population, sir.

Those affected by it, are 10 percent.

But those that passively watch form the majority 85 percent.

Are they the neutrals you speak of?

For me, neutral does not mean being indifferent.

Standing up for what's right, is what's neutral.

Who told you this crap?

Who do you say, are the criminal 5 percent?

The ones who've been calling you for the past 24 hours.

I don't know their names.

As far as I know, they are 'unknown numbers'.

You would have their names saved with the suffix 'sir'.

This is your call log for the last two days.

The 5 percent you spoke of, may even be in this list.

So this is your statement?

I'm going to close this case.

[IN HINDI] Considering all the facts...

...I conclude this is a clear-cut honor killing.

Don't get it?

A murder committed for honor.

You've easily declared it as honor killing.

Considering it their honor, no one gives out less than ₹5, even as alms.

People stake their lives at work.

But for wanting ₹30 more in wages, they raped and killed two young children.

We don't even know what happened to the third child.

"Rape"?

What are you basing that on?

I don't have time for this.

They're waiting to suspend me and close this case.

I want the truth.

For that, I don't care if I have to arrest you...

...or shoot you.

I will not hesitate.

What happened on the 16th?

For being admitted in the political party, Gunasekaran threw a party.

I attended it.

That was when I saw those three girls hidden away in the school classroom.

In the room they were in...

They took turns to go inside.

Who were they?

Gunasekaran.

...and...

...Inspector Sundaram.

Nataraj.

I didn't want to stay there any longer.

So, I left.

Where is the third girl?

I don't know.

I thought they would've let the girls go later that night.

Why did you meet Gunasekaran around the time those girls were hanged?

The mechanic had called me!

Gunasekaran's car was being repaired, so he asked me to bring a booster cable.

When I went there, they were hanging those two girls from the trees.

As I had already seen those girls in school, they got me involved.

If I told anyone about it...

...they threatened to kill me and my family.

But Vijay...

If you ask me to repeat any of what I said now...

...I won't do it.

Get him!

Vijay!

Tell them to let me go, Vijay!

The report from senior doctor Udayakumar does not mention rape at all.

The DNA sample also turned up negative.

Simple. It's a clear-cut case of honor killing.

We got statements from the girls' fathers too.

Sir...

At my own risk, here's the DNA test report of the girls from a lab in Hyderabad.

Here's the true report submitted by the doctor who did the post-mortem.

Here are the DNA sample results of Gunasekaran, Sundaram and Nataraj...

...that were taken from the bodies of the girls.

The rope that was used to tie the girls' feet when they were raped.

With blood stains.

Blood stained bedsheet.

Shawl that belongs to the missing Sathya.

I retrieved all of these from Gunasekaran's school.

These will remain safely in my custody.

I will submit it at the court hearing.

Sir...

They could've burned the bodies.

Or even buried them someplace.

But as a warning to anyone who dared to question them...

...they strung them up in their own place.

For as far as the killers are concerned, the victims are mere 'things'.

If they don't cry out when beaten, it doesn't mean they can't feel the pain.

It means they have no energy to cry.

Here is my 90 page report on this case, sir.

I know you will tear it up without even reading it.

I have another copy.

I'll submit it at the court hearing.

I was away from India for a while, sir.

But within two days of being back, it pained me to see what went on.

But for those who proudly wear the flag on their chest at every Republic Day...

Does it not pain you to see India the way it is?

Or have you found it convenient to let the country remain like this?

Mr. Vijay!

Sathya's waiting for me, sir. I'll take your leave.

You have been suspended.

Remember that!

I don't have to be a cop to save Sathya, sir.

I only need to be one of them...

Or to put it in your words, I only need to be one of 'those'.

Have you told her?

No. I was waiting for you.

Come.

Anandhi...

Brother?

Have a seat.

Is it anything important, brother?

Anandhi...

Do you know what rape is?

Suganthi, Jaya, and Sathya were raped.

Your brother Nataraj was one of the rapists.

Where is Sathya, Nataraj?

I don't know, sir.

Sir...

Please forgive me, sir!

I have committed a huge sin!

They got me really drunk that day, sir.

In a stupor...

In a stupor...

Had it even been Anandhi...

Sir...

I beg of you, sir!

Anandhi must not know about this!

She's just a kid, sir!

She can never know!

I beg of you, sir!

She can never know, sir!

He didn't want me to tell you this.

But you definitely need to know.

Don't worry. We are here for you.

My grandfather often said this.

"Every caste has a trait."

"It's in their nature."

My grandfather's not alive, sir.

Had he been alive...

"Get lost, you dunce! All that isn't true!"

That's what I would've said to him!

Sorry, sir.

I falsely believed the ones with me were good, and those others were bad.

One's caste does not determine whether they are good or bad!

It's one's character that does it, sir!

The post-mortem is over, sir.

Malaichami... - Sir?

You must arrest Sundaram.

I'll take care of it, sir.

Hey...

You must have been left to sweeping and picking up the trash!

You'll keep littering and you expect us to keep cleaning up your mess?

What happened, Vasan?

Sir...

We scoured the entire river. Nothing turned up.

Only the forest is left.

Let's go!

There's another slipper here, sir!

Sathya!

Sathya! - Sathya!

Sathya! - Sathya!

We are the police, Sathya!

Come on out!

Don't say 'police', Vasan.

It will scare her.

Sathya!

Sathya! - Sathya!

Malaichami? - Sir?

Ambulance. - Yes, sir!

Shall we have tea?

Have you memorized the speech?

No, buddy. - "No"?

So you've blown it this time too?

I didn't memorize it, but I won't forget it.

What are you going to say?

School salute!

The subject of my speech today is...

Article 15.

It is meant to ensure Indians do not discriminate against each other.

According to the article, an Indian citizen...

...cannot be discriminated...

...on the grounds of religion, ethnicity, caste, gender, or place of birth.

They must not be barred from using public property.

The government can enact any law that will benefit women and children.

To Mr. Vijay, who is the reason for me speaking here today...

...I'd like to say 'thank you.'

Next, we humbly request our Chief Guest, Vijayaraghavan IPS, to say a few words.

Greetings, one and all.

Good morning.

On Republic Day, the day the Constitution of India came into effect...

...I feel happy to hear a fifth grader speak about it...

...and also feel proud for having inspired him.

People feel that only lawyers need to study the law.

On this 72nd Republic Day...

...it's not enough for us to know that Dr. Ambedkar wrote the Constitution.

We must be aware of the rights that it confers upon us.

It's not important if children are bilingual or trilingual.

But it is important they know the fundamentals of law.

Our mother tongue can be any language.

But the national language must be law!

And the law must be in the right hands!

Because law is the only permanent solution.