Maachis

Maachis (transl. Matchsticks) is a 1996 Indian period political thriller film directed by Gulzar and produced by R. V. Pandit. It stars Chandrachur Singh, Om Puri,Tabu, and Jimmy Sheirgill. The film portrays the circumstances surrounding the rise of the Sikh insurgency in Punjab in the 1980s.[2]

The title is a metaphor that conveys that any nation's youth are like matchsticks which be can be used to light a lamp or a fuse that will blow a dynamite. The movie depicts how corrupt political and policing systems implement willful policies and ploys to target and subdue people based on religious discrimination. The protagonist in the movie becomes a victim of such atrocities that bring about a transformation in his character. He goes from being an ordinary boy next door to an angry, vengeful person who pursues his version of justice, as the system responsible for it has failed him.[3]

Tabu won her first Best Actress National Award for her portrayal of Virendar Kaur aka Veeran. "Chhod Aaye Hum" was the first Hindi film song sung by the singer KK.[4]