‘Police Quarters’ is neither a thriller (like ‘Minchina Ota’) nor a hard-hitting drama (like ‘Cyanide’). It is a story of love - between two friends, between mother and son and between neighbours. The Babri Masjid riots are incidental. The director carefully veers away from potential controversy, yet bringing home the brutality of the agitators all too well.
His script is supported by some fine performances despite several howlers including the one where the hero is listed as missing from May 23, 1993 when the signature of the authority bears the date March 28, 1993!.
It is the understated, almost natural play by the actors that makes ‘Police Quarters’ all the more attractive. Ramesh has stuck to his story and the frills are missing. But who minds them when there are two hotties around - Ashwin (newcomer Anish Tejeshwar) and Raju (Dileep Raj)? Seldom in recent days has an actor controlled himself, while revealing much more unconsciously. Anish, blessed with a face that is at once handsome and conventional, is a mean bundle of controlled aggression and fury. It is Dileep who reminds one and all what was lost after ‘Boyfriend’ bombed. His acting threatens to consume others!
Avinash sleep walks through his role. Sonu is pleasing. It spares viewers excesses of any kind, which comes as a pleasant surprise.