Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986) is a Hindi film directed by Basu Chatterjee. The flick stars Deepak Kejriwal, Amitabh Srivastava, Pankaj Kapoor, S.M. Zaheer, Subhash Udghate, Hemant Mishra, M.K. Raina, K.K. Raina, Annu Kapoor, Subbiraj, Shailendra Goel, Aziz Qureshi and C.D. Sindhu. Most of these actors are graduates of National School of Drama. Ek Ruka Hua Faisla has almost no special effects; no action sequences neither major star yet it is one of the most memorable and highly appreciated films of Indian cinema. The film has been mostly inside a room but the main attraction of the film is its dialogues.
The plot of Ek Ruka Hua Faisla revolves around a man who is charged of killing his old father and the court appoints 12 members jury to decide whether the accused is guilty. If so then he deserves capital punishment. A jury system consists of 12 citizens of repute who sit in the court to discuss a trial. As the arguments proceed 11 men decide to give out capital punishment while only the 12th juror (KK Raina) supports the accused. According to the 12th juror a man`s life is at stake and a matter like this cannot be trifled with. He finds it a sensitive case as there are various factors that are associated with a particular case. It is essential to discuss such a sensitive case before passing on capital punishment on somebody.
Since it is a jury there are people who belong to government or administrative jobs as well. While someone has cinema tickets fore the evening show another juror has an important meeting scheduled in the evening. The juror who has planned for the film needs to go to pick up his wife and then reach the cinema hall. Almost everyone has some plan or the other and wants to leave early. And the easiest way to do that is pass a unanimous judgment, even if it means agreeing to capital punishment and leave without wasting time.
In Ek Ruka Hua Faisla it is the 12th juror who convinces others to think before passing on a hasty judgment. They have been endowed with a power and power is synonymous to responsibility as well. He suggests that the jury would discuss the case amongst themselves and keep on voting. He will be putting arguments in favour of the accused and the others will contradict him. It is at this moment that the acting dynamics of the actors come to the forefront. The biases and the bigotry of the people are revealed through the arguments. It is so difficult to rise above subjectivity to deliver an objective judgment.
As the 12th juror starts his arguments He starts his arguments and soon most of the jurors show interest in his arguments. The juror, who has to go to cinema, is frustrated to sees that meeting is going on and on. Soon 4 to 5 jurors start supporting him. Finally, he manages to bring out the loopholes in the important clues and testimonies of convinces all but Pankaj Kapoor. the latter breaks down at a particular point in the argument and admits that his son has behaved cruelly with him.
Pankaj Kapoor is not so easily persuaded because his son has left him, and he has a bias against youth, but eventually he is also persuaded. He sees the reflection of his son in the young man and feels that the accused must have behaved the same way with his deceased father as well. However the 12th juror convinces all except two jurors. With the number of votes being altered the jury decides that the accused is innocent.
There are 12 actors in the room and all of them are outstanding in their roles. But mention must be made of Pankaj Kapoor. he delivers a fantastic performance and his gesture of bringing out his tongue, while speaking provides an amazing effect. Another Kapoor who impresses the audiences is Annu Kapoor. He is the one who steals the show from others.
Till date Ek Ruka Hua Faisla is considered a masterpiece.