Revisiting Haasil: Tigmanshu Dhulia’s first film that put Irrfan Khan on the map 

Irrfan played Rannvijay Singh in Haasil.

Haasil follows two opposing groups of student leaders, played by Ashutosh and Irrfan, who talk with their guns and aim to rule the student population with violence, and politics. When Jimmy Sheirgill’s Anni meets Irrfan’s Rannvijay, he considers him to be his elder brother but does not realise that the conniving student leader has other intentions.

Haasil’s first half was its strength. It completely shifted how we had seen student politics in cinema and tried to bring out the casteist culture that is deeply embedded in India. It is also interesting to note that 18 years later, Dhulia starrer Tandav also relies heavily on the same theme as Haasil, albeit in a different era.

Irrfan’s Rannvijay blows up hand-made bombs right from the start but it isn’t until the second half that you start seeing him as the villain. Jimmy’s doe-eyed Anni is completely enchanted by the power that Rannvijay holds over every bit of that town and it completely overwhelms him. Rannvijay, meanwhile, is the wolf who takes advantage of such lambs so he can ride on their shoulders and create his empire. But all of this comes to a halt when they both fall in love with the same woman, Niharika, played by Hrishita Bhatt.

Haasil was one of the first films that got Irrfan widespread acclaim. It even won him a Filmfare Award at the time, back when these awards still meant something. On the film’s 18th anniversary in May 2021, Dhulia took to Twitter and recalled that while editing the climax of the film, Irrfan walked in and said that Rannvijay would be as memorable as Gabbar Singh. He added, “Well, the villain was unlike Gabbar but yes Irfan will always be remembered.”

Haasil’s plot might feel dated today but it is the performances here that keep the film timeless.