Agni - wrestling with God

Agni

Hindi, 2024

Genre: Thriller 

 

Director: Rahul Dholakia 

Stars:  Pratik Gandhi. Divyenndu. Jitendra Joshi, Saiyami Kher, Sai Tamhankar, Udit Aurora, Kabir Shah

a̱gnim īl̥̱e pu̱rohi̍taṁ ya̱jñasya̍ de̱vam r̥̱tvija̍m |

hotā̍raṁ ratna̱dhāta̍mam - ŕk Vēda

To people for whom survival was everything, Agni, Fire, was the foremost god. In such a world, it was both feared and invoked,  and the very definition of civilization was built around keeping it satiated. 

In today's world, despite great advances in science and technology, the high priests of fire, the firefighters, remain unsung heroes in their continued efforts to placate the fire god. The opening and subsequent scenes of this movie bring home the point, as the very people who strive to put out fires are the ones waving arathi lamps to the gods for protection. 

Ironic too, as it is revealed, is the contrast between the gun toting policeman and the hose wielding firefighter.  For young Amar, such a contrast sets apart his uncle, Samit,  the cop, as a true hero in comparison to his dad, Vitthal, a fire chief. 

Both men are at odds with each other on one key element - who is setting buildings on fire in the city and why? The cop thinks he has the answer, but the firefighter suspects otherwise. The answer is obvious to those paying attention. 

Despite it's title, Agni is a slow burn, with moments of drunken conversations, distracting parties, and a generally dystopian overtone. But the frighteningly realistic action sequences, believable acting, and unique plot makes Agni a worthwhile watch.