Amalnama: A slow burn against injustice

The scene starts with a small plate holding the massive head of a fish. At the head of the table, a man eats with complete disregard for manners. Beside him, a woman carrying a child serves his food while her husband sits across from them. Their other child studies quietly in a corner, and the children's grandmother lies hunched on a small bed in the same cramped room.
 
It takes little time to grasp the family's dynamic—and the man's authority in the head chair. He had helped them financially and now sought something new in return, a request the husband declined with measured politeness. But the wife, in turn, asked him for another favour. With a few phone calls, he assured her it was done. 
But was it really?
Chorki's original film 'Amalnama,' directed by Raihan Rafi, stars Zahid Hasan, Kamruzzaman Kamu, Sarika Subrin, Tama Mirza and Gazi Rakayet. 

Hasan, played by Kamu, is a simple, loving father who earns a living from his small shop. At times, he comes across as naive, which feels odd considering he was a drug dealer just two years ago before leaving that life behind to be with his family. His wife, Parveen, played by Tama, is devoted to him and their children, Rakayet as Aziz who plays everyone like his puppets with his strings of power and Zahid as Imran who is a police officer in this film.

As scenes unfold, moments of Hasan's family life are intercut with those of police officer Imran, who lives in a spacious home with his pregnant wife, played by Sarika. He is seen caring for her as they prepare to welcome a baby girl. These back-to-back scenes establish a clear imbalance between the two men, a contrast that lingers and builds until the end.

Imran, the character that pulled Zahid out of a period of relative inactivity, is complex and layered—keeping audiences guessing about where his true loyalties lie throughout the film.

In an earlier conversation with TBS, the seasoned actor shared his thoughts on Amalnama, saying, "Amalnama is more than just a story about murder and justice; it's a mirror to one's actions. People should be aware of their behavior because negative actions have a way of coming back around eventually."

The story progresses as Hasan is taken from his home by plain clothes police officers because of his drug dealing past, and his wife Parveen sets out to find him. She pleads with the officers of their station, only to be turned away. Even going to Aziz—the man who had visited the night before—leads nowhere. Meanwhile, Hasan is held captive by Imran and his team as they hunt for an active drug dealer. 

The question of why Hasan is taken away despite having left his criminal past behind is what keeps the audience engaged throughout the film. It's a slow-burning narrative that quietly builds tension, ultimately delivering a powerful and impactful conclusion.

The movie is loosely based on true events and strongly highlights how ordinary people are treated by those in power—seen as disposable, their struggles ignored. Even in crime, when the criminal holds power, they are met with respect, while those guilty of petty offenses face the full force of the system. For the common people, there is no real justice—only false promises, threats, and extortion. In the end, their lives hold no worth in the eyes of those who control them.

In one scene, a bar dancer and singer lashes out at the police, questioning why they chase after petty criminals when arresting them changes nothing. If they really wanted to stop crime, they would go after the real drug lords. This one line sums up everything wrong with our law and order. It's all carefully controlled—authorities keep up the illusion that they are here to protect the people when, in truth, they serve only those in power.