Kuruthipunal was India’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1996. While it did not secure a nomination, the sheer fact that it was chosen speaks volumes about its quality. The film dealt with the gritty underworld of terrorism and police encounters, a subject rarely handled with such nuance in the 90s.
While Kamal Haasan’s portrayal of a conflicted officer is iconic, Nassar’s performance as the calculating antagonist is often cited as one of the best villainous roles in Tamil cinema. Progressive Storytelling: Kuruthipunal Tamilyogi