Alternate Best Actor 1983: Om Puri in Ardh Satya

Om Puri did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sub inspector Anant Velankar in Ardh Satya.

Ardh Satya follows a man as he is pulled between a romance with young peaceful woman, and his career put upon him as police officer, by his violent father.

Om Puri portraying the officer Velankar who we are introduced to in largely humane circumstances of a man just attending a social gathering. This is where we see him initially meet up with the lovely young woman Jyotsna (Smita Patil). Puri is charming in a low key way in just expressing the bit of happiness that stems from the two interacting. Puri bringing an earnest modesty and an appropriate shyness in the interaction, suggesting a woman he really likes, and setting up this point importantly in his character. This is before we see him though first acting as a cop, just interacting with the other police officers. This initially isn't too concerning as Puri just portrays a slight disarming boast about potentially meeting someone worthwhile to the others, and we see a man just going about hid duties which seem perfunctory for the moment. This though is interrupted however with flashback s towards Velankar's past where his father launched into verbal and physical assaults against Velankar's mother. This leaving Puri portrays sort of this a difficult state. This as Velankar only ever watched the behavior, something that clearly effected him negatively to see the mistreatment yet while reaming the dutiful son. These moments establish essentially what will be the contrasting influences for Velankar throughout the film, as he goes deeper into the relationship with Jyotsna, but also deeper into the life of the police officer with all that it entails.

The film then show the progress of each, and really the disagreement between these two sides of the man. In this reminded me strongly of Puri's later BAFTA nominated performance in East of East, where there were also two extremes within his character. This though is one more of a progression of each, and where that conflict comes in. This as we see his work as a police officer, where we initially just see the determination of a man doing his job. Puri brings an intensity to be sure, but at first it appears more of the requirements for the man of such a position. This with a stiff spine and stern look, but not beyond that. This still though is in contrast with Jyotsna that continue to have this growing tenderness between them, with both actors sharing a sweet chemistry with one another. The moments as the officer though we see the frustrations within Puri's work as Velankar's efforts are not particularly successful and he pushed towards more violent actions required within his city. This as we see him attempting to take down a legitimate criminal, posturing as the strong man doing the right thing, however this failing entirely. This too changes his relationship with Jyotsna, though largely from her concerns for his actions. This as Puri himself portrays initially this attempted distance and detachment from the other man. This as though it is just a job, portraying just a man attempting to be loving towards her, even with those concerns growing.

This as the man's violent actions only continue to worsen as he beats down protestors and becomes altogether more vicious. Puri's performance of this, as was his work in East is East, is quite frankly startling in just how real he makes the violence. This showing just it as something that is plainly ugly, and befitting a man who is basically doing the will of the very worst he saw in his own father. Puri giving a startling depiction of a horrible misery that inflicts the man, and we see what appears to be all the hate he learned from his father as he delivers it onto what essentially become his victims. Puri is remarkable though as he naturally shows us what appeared to be just a likable man initially as this horrible person. He still shows the man who tries to separate himself from it with Jyotsna, but when he goes far too far with his violence, it finally forces him to face facts. This scene is a downright amazing scene for Puri. This as we see the man finally reflect upon his actions, and upon his past regarding his mother. Puri is heartbreaking by showing the man finally facing his violent side is in a moment of such vulnerability. This showing it in his connection with this woman he clearly loves, but with a certain terrible resignation within looking at where he has gone due to his personal flaws. Puri conjures up the whole sense of the failures of his father, and regrets of childhood with such striking nuance. He shows the man desperation in the moment beautifully, even if so painfully. This showing a man finally seeing both sides of himself. This continues though as he confronts the true criminal again, and again Puri shows a slightly different combination of the sides of the man. This as we see this viciousness though with this sort emotional determination, as while his act isn't good, Puri now portrays it as personal, rather than just detaced cruelty of a state.  Puri's performance shows us the good man theoretically who could just be in this relationship, charming and even endearing at times. He makes the terrible path of the man though wholly tangible in that gradual descent, that while it eventually leads to that powerful moment of reflection, also realizes how man detaching himself from his actions can lead to near atrocities.