Newton

Newton is a 2017 Indian black comedy drama film co - written and directed by Amit V. Masurkar. The film stars National Award-winning Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil and Raghubir Yadav.
The film is produced by Manish Mundra under Drishyam Films, known for the 2015 film Masaan, and the film is Amit Masurkar’s second feature after his debut film, Sulemani Keeda in 2013.
Newton had its world premiere in the Forum section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, and is set to have its North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival where it screens in the International Narrative Competition section. It was selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. At the conceptual level, the movie was reported to be similar to the 2001 Iranian movie Secret Ballot in its plot, backdrop and characterization but totally different in its tone and the treatment.

Plot

Newton Kumaar, a rookie government clerk is sent on election duty to a naxal-controlled town in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh, India. Faced with the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels, he tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the odds stacked against him. He is disappointed when the voters do not turn up for the election. Later when a foreign reporter turns up at the polling station the security forces force the villagers from the constituency to turn up to cast their votes. Soon Newton realizes that they have no idea what the election is about. He desperately tries to educate them but the security head pushes him aside and tells villagers that voting machine is a toy. The foreign reporter gets a good news report about India's democracy Newton wants to sit at the polling booth for the stipulated time but is forced to flee due to a naxal attack which he realises later was staged by the police. On the way back he decides to collect votes of three villagers who suddenly turn up from nowhere inside the forest from which the security forces are escorting Newton back. The chief of security is reluctant to let them do so. Taking his duty very seriously, Newton steals his gun and points it on the chief of forces till the villagers cast their votes. He even keeps him at gunpoint after their voting for the remaining two minutes of his official duty. The security forces then beat him up out of frustration. The movie concludes with Newton who is shown in his office keeping up with his old ways before a visit by the local election officer Malko and they agree to have tea but as per rules followed by Newton in the lunch time.