ELAAN Directed by: Vikram Bhatt Starring: Arjun Ramphal UK Release 14 January 2005

Why spell it out? Newspaper headlines say it all - the sheer spinelessness shown by successive Indian governments while dealing with heinous acts of terrorism. Hijacking or kidnapping; extortion or murder, the sordid details may differ; the end result is the same. However loathsome, it's a fact we must accept that in a face-off with terrorism, we succumb rather than strike back; we crawl rather than combat; yield rather than resist.

We cringe in anguish and play the blame game - what can we do? even the government is so spineless, the police so helpless, the law so toothless- But with every new horrific incident, with every knee jerk response, we only end up by exposing our abject weakness and encouraging the ruthless demands of these jungle bandits. And as the poison ivy of terrorism takes root and flourishes in the land of the Mahatma, it spawns the worst of them all.

Terror has a new name - Baba Sikander. Extortion, drugs, murder, kidnapping is his game. Baba Sikander's very name strikes fear, for he rules by fear. Just his phone call can sound your death knell. He can finish your life, while you're still alive, Or worse, sentence you to a living death. He recognises no geographical boundaries for terrorism is his reign; he respects no international laws, for he makes his own.

His evil tentacles encircle the globe, terrorizing the rich and smashing the stubborn,Obey him and he may let you live. Incur his wrath and invite certain death-One man, Kantilal Shah refuses to yield to his demands and pays the terrible price. One man, Karan Shah will defy the improbable odds and make an impossible vow - he will capture the mighty Baba Sikander and drag him back to India, alive. This is his Elaan.