Newton (2017)

Director: Amit V. Masurkar

Story: Amit V. Masurkar

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil

Music: Naren Chandavarkar, Benedict Taylor

Time: 104 minutes

Bottom-line: A well-made political satire addressing a key issue of the country

India’s submission to the 90^th Academy Awards for the category of Best Foreign Film, Masurkar’s Newton is a satire about the voting system in India, in particular, the state of Chhattisgarh.

Newton (Rao) is a government clerk, who is sent to Chhattisgarh on election duty, to collect votes from 76 voters in an area amidst the Naxal-controlled forests of the state. He is assisted by a local officer, Malko Netam (Patil) and Loknath (Raghubhir Yadav). Despite his utmost sincerity in conducting a free and fair election, nothing else goes his way. The armed forces – led by Asst. Commandant Aatma Singh (Tripathi) – warn him of the imminent guerrilla attacks and other dangers in the forest, but Newton is persistent. Initially, no voters show up. However, the moment they receive information that a foreign reporter is covering the incident, the army forces the villagers to cast votes. Newton realises that the villagers are clueless about what the election is; no villager has ever seen a voting machine before. With barely any support from the others, does Newton do his duty? Or does he succumb?

 

Rajkummar Rao as Newton

In a country that is the world’s largest democracy, the number of people who do not cast their vote – despite it being the duty of a citizen – is shockingly high. For various reasons, from laziness, to ignorance, to the “what’s-the-point-nothing-is-going-to-change-anyway” attitude, the voting system has its flaws. In Newton, that is the issue dealt with, against the backdrop of Naxal warfare. We see that the villagers do have voter cards, but are scared and ignorant about the whole process. They show up only when forced, and they have no idea why they vote. The security tells Newton to clear up much earlier than the stipulated time, since no one is willing to vote anyway. Newton desperately tries to teach the villagers the fundamentals, but Aatma Singh, realising that this won’t work, manipulates the villagers by telling them the machine is a toy, and they can press the button for whichever symbol they like.

 

Anjali Patil as Malko

The film is more of a documentary than a feature film, except for the wisely scripted dry humour that appeals to your funny bone as well. Newton’s character is one of those extremely honest officers, surrounded by people who are anything but sincere. Most people in Newton’s position would take the hint in the first go and run for their own safety. That is what happens when you’re the only guy doing his job. One can argue how a mere 76 votes matter anyway in a nation of 1.3 billion people; but if 76 officers in 76 areas with 76 people each, all think the same way, then a problem starts to grow. Educating people about the election is the first step that should be taken.

 

Pankaj Tripathi as Aatma Singh

Rajkummar Rao’s performance is highly commendable. Newton’s tenacity and discipline are very inspiring. The characters of Malko and Loknath bring a blend of humour and other viewpoints on the election. On the other end of the spectrum is Aatma Singh, whose excuse is that nothing useful happens anyway; in one scene he complains how the army hasn’t received night vision goggles even two years after their request. Using just four characters, there is a wide range of opinions and views open to discussion.   

A wake-up call to many Indians, Newton is one of the most well-made films addressing social issues. The pace might slacken now and then, but the movie is worth your time.

My Rating: 3.5/5