Dum is a hard-boiled, emotionally intense crime film that explores the themes of justice, morality and the blinding realities of those that seek to apply the law. The story of the movie is based on the life of Uday, a hopeful policeman who wants to end corruption and injustice in life and examines how he becomes a zealous new officer and then an enraged revenger. The strength of the story is enhanced by the elements of corruption in the police service, self-sacrifice, and grey areas between right and wrong as they form an intriguing plane of morality.
The movie has a powerful character which is based on complex plot lines. The friendship and shared dreams of Uday and Mohan are imbued with real feeling and attachment and the Shankar born in corruption and power-hungry abuse causes a real feeling of threat and dread. Severe action scenes and confrontations interspersed with the narrative and dark cinematography depicting the depressing grime of the city and the seeds of corruption it breeds make the film intriguing to the viewers. The direction is carried out rapidly without publishing any unnecessary complicated moments, comparing suchlike moments of extreme tension with homely psychological depths, yet the plot surprises might feel predictable to the ones who have watched their share of dramas.
What particularly impressed me was hard-line determination of Uday, though he sacrificed himself, to extract vengeance. The climax of the film where Uday brings Shankar out and tells his real face was an indelible print of moral courage and the mixed nature of a hero. Although a few aspects are predictable, the movie has managed to appeal to the emotions and the conscience of the audience. It is a strong message, that often, to do the right thing, a sacrifice has to be made and that justice, although a moving target, is worth fighting over.
