8 years of Madaari: Revisit Irrfan Khan-Nishikant Kamat's gripping thriller on OTT

It's been eight years since the Irrfan Khan-starring Madaari hit the big screen. The late filmmaker Nishikant Kamat directed the 2016 social thriller, which stars Nitesh Pandey, Tushar Dalvi, Jimmy Shergill, and Vishesh Bansal in pivotal roles. Because the film has been released for eight years, now is the time to revisit it on OTT. You can stream Madaari on ZEE5 (also available on OTTplay Premium). 

Plot of Madaari

In the film, a social media-driven rumour reaches every corner of India, supported by one rebelliously modest news program named Strawberry TV. The Home Minister's (Tushar Dalvi) 10-year-old son has been abducted. The rumour has divided an angry mob of Indians; some take it at face value, while others refuse to believe it, holding fast to the belief that the mighty are untouchable in their nation. Although the PMO has not officially verified it, the rumour is accurate. They abducted Rohan (Vishesh Bansal) on his way back from his nocturnal jaunt.

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Jt. Dir. CBI Nachiket Verma (Jimmy Sheirgill), the man in charge of the probe, is attempting to pinpoint the kidnappers alongside the HM and his counsellors. So, who could it be? Suspected terrorists? Are they naxalites too? Are they followers of the enemy or powerful criminals? Or was it just a case of confusing identities?

Since the kidnapper has quickly reached out to them, none of them can respond. He sees himself as no different from any other parent whose child has disappeared. We are clueless as to where. He asks for their help in finding his child, with the intention of returning him to the HM. The kidnapper, Nirmal (Irrfan Khan), was an ordinary techie until he reached his lowest point and realized he no longer cared about life or death. A shocking fact emerges from the ongoing cat-and-mouse game to catch him as the public's increasingly fickle affections shift between the two fathers.

Production and legacy

Nishant Pitti of Easemytrip is a co-producer, while Shailesh R. Singh, Madan Paliwal, Sutapa Sikdar, and Shailja Kejriwal are the producers. Before his untimely demise on August 17, 2020, Nishikant Kamat directed this film. It was a surprise box office success at its initial release and enjoyed generally favourable reviews; yet, it has since become a beloved classic among movie buffs. 

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