Amit Masurkar’s ‘Newton’ is an Exploration of the Grey Spaces in the Sphere of Duty

Amit V. Masurkar’s “Newton” (2017) is a scathing dark comedy that mirrors India’s contemporary struggles with its colonial legacy. The nation is brimming with idealism and ambition, aspirations grand enough to fill volumes. Yet, the weight of history and the relentless pressure to uphold its democratic image often hinder progress, making the pursuit of change a Sisyphean task. “Newton” is an exploration of this aspect — something I would call the “grey space of helplessness.” This is something every single one of us has experienced: a futile limbo where we can’t fulfill our ideals without getting our hands dirty.

“Newton” (2017) is set in the forest, from where there is no escape. A stifling, serpentine labyrinth that traps with its charm and, at the same time, stands for the mentality of the people walking the roads: stagnant, stubborn, and unchanging. The music is minimal, and the song “Panchhi ud gaya” reiterates the same state of ‘almost’ that the two characters in the film face. In a way, the despondency of these characters at the end of the film, despite their valiant efforts, stands for what India’s condition has been for a while.

The eponymous character, Newton Kumar (Rajkummar Rao), is honest to a fault. Worse, he is proud of his honesty. It is this flaw in his character that’s put to the test in the course of the film’s narrative. This “flaw” is not only limited to him being honest at all times, he is honest to the degree of an obsession. He endures physical injuries just to make sure that the commission is available till the last second for voting. Like his namesake, who learned a lesson from something as simple as an apple falling on his head, Newton Kumar learns a lasting lesson during the course of one day.

At the same time, the counterpoint to Newton, Aatma Singh (Pankaj Tripathi), is flawed too: a battle-hardened soldier who watches jawans under him dying gruesome deaths at the hands of the Maoist rebels in the Dandakaranya. His battalion is ill-equipped and has to fight in an unknown forested territory. The film’s central conflict is played out by two opposing forces trapped in a shared, paralyzing limbo. Newton and Aatma Singh, along with the supporting characters of Loknath and Malko, are all confined within this ‘grey area of helplessness.’ Each character adheres to a personal code: Newton’s is unwavering honesty, while Aatma Singh’s is the survivalist mantra instilled in him as a soldier.

Conversely, their duties were diametrically opposed yet equally critical. Newton’s mission was a democratic imperative: ensuring that the 76 registered voters in Kondanar, Chhattisgarh, exercise their fundamental right to vote. Aatma Singh, on the other hand, is tasked with safeguarding his battalion, the government officials, and the voters in a hostile environment. The inevitable clash of these responsibilities results in a stalemate, a poignant illustration of the complexities and compromises inherent in real-world situations. Both men emerge from this ordeal profoundly changed.

Ironically, Newton, the high-and-mighty idealistic officer, cuts Anjali Patil’s Malko Netam (a local teacher) short whenever she tries to explain how her people, the Gonds, abide by their ancient laws and have never even heard the names of the candidates before that very day. In this way, he becomes very similar to his foil, Aatma, by giving in to the same prejudice. Newton tragically misunderstands the chasm between his idealistic notions of democracy and the harsh realities faced by the marginalized. For the people of Kondanar, words like ‘voting’ and ‘democracy’ have distant echoes and are irrelevant to their daily struggles. Aatma Singh and his forces also mirror this disconnect, dismissing the villagers with a similar condescension, cloaked in the guise of language barriers or outright prejudice.

So all in all, through the course of one day, both the characters, instead of reaching a fruitful cooperation, end up oppressing the Gonds in their own way, benign or malign. Malko’s dialogue from the film, when asked if she too was a “nirashavadi” (negative/pessimistic) sums up the essence of the film, “Nahi Sir, main Adivaasi hoon”; (No Sir, I am just a native). The oppression of the natives in the name of the language and in the name of skin color will not stop until the “educated” national learns to empathize with their distresses.

Till then, every native tribal will murmur, if not shout, “koi badlao nahi ayega” while standing in queue for an election. However (being a comedy), there is growth, at least for Newton Kumar, at the end of the film. Taking Sanjay Mishra’s advice, he understands that honesty requires no reward. At the same time, his daily routine remains unchanged. He arrives punctually, adheres to strict break times, and his obsession persists. Even now, as Malko seeks him at work, he insists on finishing his five-minute countdown before joining her for tea.

The most striking part of the film is, however, the fact that the native, who has been dubbed silent on account of linguistic barriers throughout history, speaks through Malko and taps the ‘Indian’ on the shoulder, if not slaps him for never wanting to acknowledge their voice. Masurkar and Tewari make sure the film does not jolt the audience too much while waking them up. The end credits theme, sung by Raghubir Yadav, too teaches the audience a lesson: “Chal tu apna kaam kar” despite what’s going on.

Joe Lazauskas, an expert on storytelling, says a great story depends on a certain degree of novelty along with an optimum degree of relatability. Masurkar’s film has all the trappings of a “great story” if it is defined using this rubric. It discusses issues like cultural tension, oppression, and the dilemma of the educated while at the same time being novel enough to make the educated learn a valuable lesson despite ultimate failure.

In summary, one is reminded of Arthur Miller, who said that the common man’s greatest tragedy lay in his wrong appraisal of himself: Newton Kumar stands for the same tragic Indian everyman who is taught to change himself to please his superiors every day. By refusing to kowtow, he succeeds and lives with the hope of growing with his country in extension.

Read More: Newton [2017] – The Story of A Forgotten Community

Author: Arpan Kr. Saha