''Curfew'' is a 1994 Indian Kannada

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

starring

Devaraj Devaraj (born 20 September 1953) is an Indian actor and theatre actor who works in Indian film industry. He has largely featured in Kannada films performing various roles as a lead character, supporting character and villainous character. He ha ...

B. C. Patil Basavanagowda Channabasavanagowda Patil is an Indian Kannada film actor turned politician who is the current Minister of State for Agriculture of Karnataka from 7 February 2020. (He is a three-term MLA from Hirekerur assembly constituency. B. ...

Doddanna Doddanna (born 11 November 1949) is an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry who has acted in about 800 films. He started his career as a theatre actor. During this time, he entered the Kannada film industry as a character actor. Early lif ...

Dattatreya Dattatreya ( sa, दत्तात्रेय, ), Dattā or Dattaguru, is a paradigmatic Sannyasi (monk) and one of the lords of yoga, venerated as a Hindu god. In Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya ...

and Richard Louis in the lead roles with

Sudharani Jayashree, known by her screen name Sudha Rani, is an Indian actress, voice artist and a former model. She has primarily worked in Kannada films.she also acted in a few Telugu, Tulu and Malayalam films. At the age of three, Rani was chosen as ...

in an extended cameo appearance. Directed by Ha Su Rajasekhar, the film produced under Sri Sai Jyothi Creations had background score by

Sadhu Kokila Sahaya Sheelan Shadrach (born 24 March 1966) known by his screen name Sadhu Kokila, is an Indian musician, actor, comedian, film director and producer, and an occasional screenwriter and lyricist who works in Kannada cinema. He began his care ...

. Rajasekhar also wrote the screenplay for the story by L. R. Ranganath Rao. Unlike the usual commercial films produced in India during the 1980s and 1990s, ''Curfew'' did not have any songs, humorous fillers or serious romantic subplots.

Plot

The film begins in Udayapura,

Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

the same constituency from which an honest politician Sujjan Rao contested for the M. L. A. post eventually becoming the people's favourite Chief Minister. He is secretly disdained by former Home Minister, Palaksha, and his sidekick Venkatesha "Venka". They secretly support an extortion gang after their leader, Dalapathy, is jailed for murder. After receiving enough complaints from the natives of Udayapura regarding the police's ineffectiveness, Sujjan transfers Pradeep to the area as the new Deputy Commissioner. Pradeep was earlier posted as the Circle Inspector in the regional police station until he was trapped in a custodial murder case by Palaksha and got a punishment transfer. The arrival of Pradeep becomes a permanent roadblock for Palaksha's malicious plans and hence decides to seek the help of Dalapathy who owes his jailtime to both Pradeep and Sujjan. Meanwhile, the people of Udayapura and Shantipura calls for a ''bandh'' after the government fails to take the right steps against alcohol production in the state and asks Sujjan's tutor and freedom fighter Narayan to lead them. Dalapathy who is hospitalised in a hospital in

Mysuru Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

orders his henchmen to manipulate two jobless youngsters, Subbu and Seenu, to help them turn the peaceful ''bandh'' into a violent one. Though they just trigger the events, the other goons terrorise the people by destroying shops and murder. Even Narayan is killed. Though Pradeep arrests the rowdies they manage to escape. Dalapathy who escapes to Bangalore allies with Palaksha and continues to terrorise the people forcing Pradeep to call for a 24-hour curfew in Udayapura and Shantipura. The next day when the curfew is relieved for two hours for the people to purchase the necessary groceries they are attacked by Dalapathy's goons forcing Pradeep to call for a more rigorous curfew in addition to which a shoot at sight order is issued. To make matters worse Dalapathy bombs the pipeline supplying water to the areas and pits the people dwelling in the slums against police. He also kills an innocent man and makes it look like the police did it. Subbu and Seenu, deeply regretting their actions try to help a sick baby when Subbu gets gunned down by the police. Pradeep, meanwhile, catches the goons from their secret hideout in Udayapura. Later with the help of a journalist, Srinivas, who secretly captured photos of the criminals during the riots Pradeep learns that Dalapathy has escaped from the Mysore prison and travels to

. There he learns from the doctor, Murthy, who treated Dalapathy about how the latter's henchman beat up the doctor's wife for refusing to admit him in the hospital eventually threatening him to help Dalapathy escape. Pradeep with the help of Murthy and Srinivas turns Dalapathy against Palaksha and Venka. After killing them he escapes with a

sniper rifle A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a por ...

so as to kill Sujjan who has organised a ''padhayatra''. At the end Pradeep saves Sujjan and kills Dalapathy. Sujjan, afterwards, gives a speech on how the people should respect and support the police force. The people of Udayapura, once again, lead a happy life.

Cast

as DCP Pradeep *

as Dalapathi *

as Palaksha * Richard Louis as Venkatesha"Venka" * Datthatreya as

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

Sajjan Rao * G. K. Govinda Rao as Narayan *

Bank Janardhan Janardhan, known by his stage name Bank Janardhan is an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. He is well-known for his comedy and drama roles in various Kannada films and television series. Some of the notable films of Janardhan as an actor ...

as Bhatt *

Sanketh Kashi Kashi (1954 – 2016) known by his professional name Sanketh Kashi, was an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. Some of the notable films of Kashi as an actor include '' Ulta Palta'' (1997), ''Nammoora Mandara Hoove'' (1996), ''Beladingala ...

as Subbu * Shanthamma as Basanni's mother * Sudharani as Sudha
(extended cameo appearance)

Crew

# D. K. Ramakrishna, N. Chinnarajan : Producer # Ha Su Rajasekhar : Screenplay, Direction # L. R. Ranganath Rao : Story # Richard Louis : Dialogues # Sadhu Kokila : Music # Ashok Kashyap : Cinematography # Suresh Urs : Editor # Suresh : Stunts

Release

The film received a ''U Certificate'' from the Censor Board's regional office at

with the certificate dated 27 October 1994. The film was a Blockbuster at the box office.

References

{{Reflist Indian action films 1990s Kannada-language films 1994 action films 1994 films