Taanakkaran (டாணாக்காரன்)

In 1857, after the Sepoy Mutiny, the petrified British decided

that the East India Company can no longer control Indian regions

and brought it under the direct control of the British Crown.

Till 1860, the British involved the soldiers

in wars and civil problems that happened in India.

They were no longer able to involve soldiers

to suppress the independence struggle and the farmers' revolt.

So, they planned to form a huge police force with the Indian youth.

In 1861, sturdy youngsters

were forcefully recruited to the police force

and given battlefield and weapons training by the British Government.

By arming young Indians with weapons

and to make sure they thought of neither the country nor independence,

various tactics were employed on the training field.

They were not allowed to talk in groups, meet their families,

or read and write.

To make them obey commands and orders,

they introduced soldiers' drills named "Parades,"

which were performed in teams.

To discipline those who disobey the rules of the training field,

punishments like Extra Drills were introduced,

and they were assaulted brutally.

Those who couldn't endure, ran away from the training school.

Few of them even committed suicide.

Even then, the British Government was determined

to continue these uncompromising training sessions.

In order to encourage the youngsters undergoing police training,

competitions were conducted by the officials in these schools,

and those who win were allowed to consume liquor, rice,

and were awarded titles and honours.

The British Government extended the training period for those who lost.

These young Indians

who joined the police force were diverted from thinking

about the independence struggle happening in the country

and were made to focus on training and competitions.

The British Government succeeded in implementing the plan too.

After India's Independence in 1947,

though many changes were made in the police department,

a few things remain unchanged till today.

Those are the trainings and competitions

created during the British period.

Domain, training,

competition, victory

and defeat are parts of a policeman's life.

Such a story of the police is...

Circle Inspector.

POZHILARU - TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT

TAMIL NADU POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL - POZHILARU

Hey, Arivu!

If you see a ground, you forget everything.

We have to unpack our things.

They are shouting at us. Let's go.

Take care of the children.

Parents can leave now.

Your visiting hours are over.

Those who have come for training can go inside.

Leave now! Come on, leave!

Get going!

- Hey, dude. - Hmm?

Do we have to jump these ropes and bars to get a police job?

Yes. Police job is no easy feat.

What's so great about this job?

We just have to thrash some passers-by.

That's what the job is all about.

Why do we have to jump ropes and bars for that?

- Come on, guys! - Hey, dude!

Did you arrive early in the morning?

Yes, we have been waiting for this.

Your sincerity stuns me.

Dude, where is my money?

I borrowed it back home. Why are you asking it now?

Where is the barracks?

There it is.

Dude!

Have you come to enrol your son in training?

Hey! I have come for training.

Okay, constable.

What's happening, dude?

He seems old enough to be your uncle,

but he says he has come for training.

Yeah, dude.

Many elders like him have come for training.

I don't know how they got selected at this age.

No, dude.

They got selected for training in the year 1982.

But they weren't able to attend it.

Because of the dissolution of the government that happened then,

they couldn't attend the training.

The government which came into power after that

cited various reasons and denied the order.

They had to struggle with the court for 15 years

to obtain this order.

Totally 1,300 people.

Out of those, 100 people have come to train with us.

They got selected at the age of 28

and have come for training at the age of 43.

Such a pity.

He was born to undergo this training, I guess.

Aren't you educated?

Don't you know that the application should be signed?

No, I have signed it.

Have a look at it.

Don't you dare stare!

I will smash your face. Get lost!

Your educational qualification?

I asked what your educational qualification is.

I have written it in the application.

Don't talk too much. Get going.

Next.

Are you an M.A. in Criminology?

Yes, madam. He is a university gold medallist.

Then why did you opt for this job?

Get up.

This is how your hair should be.

No one is allowed to have long hair.

If I see anyone sporting long hair, I'll kill you.

Roll-call parade.

Attention!

You are not new to this attention and stand at ease.

You must have practised at school.

But, in police force,

if we order you to stand in attention,

then...

even if a snake bites,

you aren't supposed to move your legs.

Mosquito bite, sir.

Mosquito bite, sir.

What the hell!

Do you think this is your school?

Huh?

Frog jump position.

Do you know what a frog jump position is?

You have to sit like a frog and jump forward.

Got it? Frog jump position.

What are you laughing at?

Is this is a drama company?

Huh?

People who laughed in those 3 rows,

take the frog jump position.

Come on! Frog jump position.

Forward! Forward!

Forward!

Forward.

Advance, advance.

Advance!

Get up and go.

Police!

It's a disciplined force.

Only orders matter here.

Keep your improper attitude

outside my police gate.

Understood?

There are 350 people totally.

I only have 6 toilets at your disposal.

I don't care whether you finish your morning routines or not.

You should fall in at the ground at 4:59 a.m.

Even if you come at 5 a.m.,

I won't let you inside the ground.

Squad, attention!

Sir, everyone is present.

I'm your training inspector.

I'm Muthupandi.

You are going to train here for 9 months.

Finish your training well.

If you have any issues,

let me know.

Dude, your uncle.

Sir.

Tell me.

Only 6 toilets are allotted to us.

But there are so many of us.

If you allot us another 4 or 5 toilets, it would be helpful.

You have not come for a honeymoon with your wife

and enjoy your life comfortably.

You have come for police training.

If you are on duty to escort a VIP,

no one will accommodate you in a 5-star hotel.

You have to use public toilets,

finish your job and get back to duty.

This is a rehearsal for such situations.

None of you are policemen yet.

You have come for police training.

Eshwaramurthy?

Yes, sir?

How many toilets have been allocated?

6 toilets have been allotted, sir.

- 6 toilets? - Yes, sir.

Why did you allot so many? Reduce one.

- 5 are enough. - Okay, sir.

You'll face a few issues during police training.

Even if you have issues,

you are not supposed to voice it.

That's your first training here.

You were asking something?

Nothing, sir.

I thought you asked me something.

Nothing, sir.

Do you know how to do a front roll like a monkey?

- No, sir. - Learn it.

Go back to your position doing a front roll.