Shiva

Ram Gopal Varma's film follows Shiva, newly arrived at university. The student union on campus works hand in hand with a gang and no one stands against it. One day Shiva strikes back. The film follows how that single act grows; the narrative builds no heroism and shows how violence calls up more of it and how it connects to politics. This is the Hindi version of Varma's first film, made in Telugu. Nagarjuna leads. The camera movement and use of sound were considered new in Indian cinema at the time, and the scene with the bicycle chain is its best-known moment. Who it's for: those who want to see the turning points of Indian crime cinema. Who it's not for: viewers troubled by concentrated violence; the film shows it in detail.