Act 1978

A pregnant woman and an old man walk into a government office in Karnataka on a fine morning and then holds the entire staff hostage. This is what unfolds in the first few minutes of the movie titled Act 1978. The rest of the film shows the reason behind this violent act and the closure of the situation. We have seen films based on hostages before. Using hostages as the central theme, you can do several genres — action, suspense, drama, etc. In Act 1978, the writer-director Mansore decides to narrate a drama with Yagna Shetty as the protagonist. As part of the story, Mansore also tries to package a message.

When you see a government office, the first thing that comes to your mind is corruption. It has become a cliche. Does this topic hold any relevance in these times? When you see the movie, you are left with no doubt the issue will always be relevant but to different society’s strata based on the era that we live in. If you cast these doubts away, then what is interesting about the movie is the power of rebellion displayed by two seemingly weak persons. Geetha, the character played by Yagna Shetty, and the old man are not in their physical prime. But if they can protest, then we can fathom the underlying rage.

The whole movie revolves around the performance of Yagna Shetty. She gives such a powerful and…