The Terrorist

Play trailer

The Terrorist

1998

1h 40m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Malli has spent most of her nineteen years in revolutionary training. A hardened killer, she interviews for and wins the coveted bomber position. However, the path to the VIP's assassination allows her to contemplate her own emotions for the first time. Those she meets affect her in a new way; in meditation she reflects on a moment of true love; ultimately contemplating her future, she is caught in a psychological divide.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

3.5/4

The movie is quiet and persuasive as it shows Malli learning more about her life -- in what may be her last days -- than she ever knew before.

Go to Full Review

Burl Burlingame

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Jun 22, 2011

2/4

Ayesha Dharkar commands the center. She has expressive, liquid eyes to die for, as well as an out-of-whack sense of inner gravity. And water beads up on her spectacularly.

Go to Full Review

John A. Nesbit

Old School Reviews

May 31, 2008

A-

As visually poetic and slow-paced as Terrence Malick

Go to Full Review

Film Threat

Dec 6, 2005

3.5/5

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Oct 1, 2005

2/5

Film Threat

Dec 8, 2002

3.5/5

Read all reviews

Scott H

@ScottHerf Mar 13, 2026

There are few pictures that not only wow me on first watch, but I also get so much more every time I see it. A feast for the senses, gripping story and so much more.

See more

Liam D

@Mediawatcher2003 Aug 14, 2024

With a stellar performance by main star Ayesha Dharker it’s a very dark drama that got me invested

See more

May 28, 2014

The final scene is brilliant but the 90's filler music throughout the film was brutal.

See more

Dec 14, 2013

Not entirely sure what to think about this movie at the moment. It sure is beautiful.

See more

Sep 20, 2012

The story falls in a few place, and, for me, was a slight disappointment, but the camera doesn't skip a beat.

See more

Oct 2, 2010

Not your "HolyWood" typical. But, hey, check it out. Gives you a clean perspective of suicide bomber mentality. Pretty timely, even in 2010. 5 stars for great acting by Dharker. One half star subtracted due to melodrama and obvious conclusion. A fresh tomato though diced it may be.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Santosh Sivan

Director

Ayesha Dharkar

Malli

Vishnuvardhan

Thyagu

Bhanu Prakash

Perumal

K. Krishna

Lover

Sonu Sisupal

Leader

Besieged

75%

80%

Besieged

Watchlist

Ennui

54%

46%

Ennui

Watchlist

A Slipping-Down Life

27%

44%

A Slipping-Down Life

Watchlist

No Looking Back

36%

64%

No Looking Back

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Malli has spent most of her nineteen years in revolutionary training. A hardened killer, she interviews for and wins the coveted bomber position. However, the path to the VIP's assassination allows her to contemplate her own emotions for the first time. Those she meets affect her in a new way; in meditation she reflects on a moment of true love; ultimately contemplating her future, she is caught in a psychological divide.

Director: Santosh Sivan
Producer: Abhijit Joshi, A. Sreekar Prasad
Screenwriter: Santosh Sivan, Santosh Sivan, Ravi Deshpande, Vijay Deveshwar
Distributor: Phaedra Cinema
Production Co: Moderne Gallerie Motion Picture
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Tamil
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 14, 1998, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $195.0K
Runtime: 1h 40m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings