The Terrorist(1999)
The Terrorist is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language drama film written, directed, and shot by Santosh Sivan. Ayesha Dharker stars as Malli, a 19-year-old suicide bomber preparing to assassinate a political leader. The film follows her days in a rebel training camp and her stay with a kind farming couple before the attack. It explores her internal conflict between duty and the desire to live. The film was India's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Direction for Sivan. The film is known for its minimalist style, natural lighting, and focus on psychological depth over action.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- MUBI, Netflix, YouTube, ZEE5
- Theatrical Release
- 12 January 1999
- Director
- Santosh Sivan
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 1h 35m 0
Storyline
Malli is a young woman trained to become a suicide bomber. She is sent to a village to assassinate a politician. While waiting for the right moment, she stays with a kind farmer and his wife. Their warmth and her unexpected pregnancy make her question her mission. She must choose between dying for her cause or living for her unborn child.
“One life. One choice. One chance to live.”
