Bejoy Nambiar, in the past few years since the advent of OTT content, has come up with many stories for the streaming platforms and for theaters as well. As a writer-director, he has always been known for exploring cool subjects. Sadly, he overindulges himself, and the movie or the show quickly gets out of hand. Dange, which means riots, is a film that he ambitiously directed alongside a Tamil version, trying to pull off what Mani Ratnam did with Ravan/Ravanan and Yuva/Aaytha Ezhuthu. The Tamil film is called Por and follows the same plot as the Hindi one. Set in Goa, Dange is about rivalry between two men who seemed to have a history much before they ran into each other years later in St. Martins University.
Spoilers Ahead
Was Xavier a popular student at the university?
Xavier Coutinho was a popular student in his final year of medicine. Xavier was known for indulging in hardcore narcotics and recreational drugs, which from time to time hampered his progress to graduating from the university. Sadly, Xavier turned up high for his presentation he was compulsory required to submit.
Why was Yuvaraj trying to get support in college?
Yuvaraj, aka Yuva, was a first-year student who joined the university and was subjected to ragging by several seniors. Yuva tried to stand up for himself and not entertain the demands put forward by them, and he soon began to gather support from several juniors of his year. He stood up against all the seniors who tried to corner him at several places around the campus. The seniors were taken aback by the spirit built up by Yuva in a short time on campus and chose to stay away from him.
What was the conflict between Gayathri and Siddhi?
Gayathri was a student political leader, and along with her friend Ambika, she formed Awaaz, a political party that spoke up for the people from other castes who were being discriminated against on college campuses and hostels. Siddhi, on the other hand, was also a student leader at the college. She was also the daughter of a local Goan leader who was grooming her to be the chief minister of the state. Joining college-level politics was her entryway into mainstream ones, and she had the support from inside and outside of the college. Siddhi and Ambika were in love at some point during their time in college, but since they were broken up, neither of them minded fighting against each other for the upcoming election for the post of general secretary.
What was the history between Yuvaraj and Xavier?
Xavier was Yuvaraj’s senior during their school time at a boarding school. A young Yuvaraj was attached to Xavier for everything, and the latter always took care of the young boy since he was away from his parents living in the same school hostel. Xavier was sadly unaware of how brutal his seniors would be on Yuvaraj. The young boy was molested in the dorm by them, and Xavier could not stop anyone. Yuvaraj refused to forget his brother-like figure in school, who never stood up for him. Xavier never got over the guilt, as the boy had left the school before he could apologize. Years later, Xavier was again his senior, but Yuvraj was not planning to be timid. Xavier was apologetic for his mistake, but Yuvaraj wouldn’t have it and wanted revenge for a scarred childhood.
Why did Ambika disappear from the campus?
Siddhi and her father’s right-hand man, Bosco, were aware Ambika’s candidacy was a threat to her power. Siddhi, though, wanted to win this game fair and square. Unfortunately for Gayathri, Ambika suddenly disappeared from the college. Gayathri found out she was in Karwar and headed there with Yuvaraj, who was keen to find out more about college politics. Gayathri learned Ambika was forced to withdraw after Bosco poured acid all over her arms, and ever since, she has been too petrified to come back.
Who was the common link between Rishika, Gayathri, and Xavier?
Yuvaraj was getting to know the group dynamics, especially around those who were close to Xavier. In this pursuit, he learned that Rishika, Xavier’s best friend on campus, had a younger brother, Kabir, who died by suicide. Gayathri and Kabir had been in a relationship as well, and his death devastated her as well.
Xavier, on the other hand, was wallowing in guilt again because he could help Kabir get out of severe depression. A few years after the death of Kabir, Xavier had begun to develop feelings for Gayathri, and he finally confessed his love for her. Gayathri was not sure how to take the relationship forward, but she agreed to give it a try.
Did Rishika confess her love to Yuvaraj?
Rishika and Yuva had begun to hang out as well. Their friendship began when she sold him some recreational drugs, and they spent a lot of time consuming them. Even though Yuvaraj was younger than her, they both liked being in each other’s company and eventually shared their feelings.
What caused friction between Yuvaraj and Xavier?
One of the juniors from college, Bala, and Ritu were in love. Their bitter breakup unleashed an insecure side of Bala, who had a tough time getting over the breakup. The college festival was organized and run by juniors; unlike in previous years, where the seniors had hosted the festival. Yuvraj planned to demean Xavier further, as his plan of action to exact revenge was in motion. Bala physically assaulted Ritu during the festival, which caused a major tussle between the juniors and the seniors. The matter escalated, and it became an ego matter rather than a simple concern between ex-lovers. There were many witnesses to the assault, yet Yuvaraj was hell-bent on protecting Bala and held the young man from apologizing to his ex-girlfriend. Ritu’s current boyfriend was a senior and a friend of Xavier who wanted to confront Bala, but Yuvaraj did not allow it, stating that it would hamper the ongoing festival. Yuvaraj bigging himself up front of the seniors was the cause of friction between him and Xavier.
Why were Siddhi and Gayathri at loggerheads?
The general secretary elections at the university were at their peak, and Siddhi and her father were making sure there was no mistake this time. Ambika was back in college, and on Gayathri’s behest, she was willing to file an FIR against Bosco for assault. Gayathri and Siddhi were at loggerheads as the latter made it clear she was not involved in injuring Ambika as it was Bosco’s doing. Siddhi was morally a better person because she wouldn’t think of harming anyone, let alone her ex-girlfriend. She was not very keen on overindulgence in politics, but her father’s insistence made her run for the post, and somehow she believed she wanted what her father planned for her.
Bosco was brutally beaten up by Siddhi’s father, but he still wanted to prove his mettle and refused to leave Siddhi’s side as he wanted to ride on her and her father’s coattails, which would make him one of the most dreaded men in the state. Bosco was power-hungry, and his antics always got her in trouble and tarnished her image. Bosco refused to see the bigger picture, like Siddhi and her father. Siddhi and Gayathri were not allowed to campaign for the election during the festival, as it would create a riot-like situation that might go out of hand. Siddhi and Gayathri agreed to conduct their campaign for an event that was being conducted outside the campus.
Why did Yuva want to fight Xavier?
Yuvaraj unnecessarily dragged out Bala’s incident and made it about him and Xavier. Yuvaraj was still not over the pain that was unleashed on him in school and was unwilling to forgive Xavier for not helping him. There was still a trust factor that was shaken, and he never wanted Xavier to forget the mistake he made. Xavier had approached Yuvaraj days before the festival and tried to explain the situation from his end, but Yuvaraj was engulfed by the anger and pain of many years and chose to ignore his pleas for forgiveness. It was essential to know that molestation affects not just women but men as well, and the discussion around this subject has been nil for decades. Yuvaraj could be an ultra-confident man, but at heart, he was a young boy who was violated, and no one helped him, especially Xavier.
Xavier, on the other hand, was a young boy too, and he was unaware of the repercussions of such actions because he’d never been aware of the assault. Yuvaraj had wanted Xavier to do the right thing years ago, but his inability haunted both, which led to this clash of egos years later in college. Yuvaraj wanted this fight as he was keen on getting rid of the anger that was stored in his body. Pushing Xavier’s anger button was his way to get him to retaliate. Rishika was done with Yuvaraj’s desperation to fight, as she was not keen on witnessing two people go against each other in a brutal way. She wanted both to seek a truce, but that was far from what the men wanted.
Xavier and his boys from the senior batch arrived at the campus after the last day of the festival was over. This was the only time they could confront Yuvaraj and his supporters. Bala was moved to a girl’s hostel by Rishika to avoid any bloodshed. She had a lot to lose if Yuvaraj and Xavier were arrested, so she made the sound decision of moving him to a place the men wouldn’t dare enter. It was hilarious to watch a woman make sensible decisions while men were out for blood. Xavier chased Yuvaraj’s men to the beach, where Gayathri and her party were about to begin their campaign speech. Their fight caused mayhem, and the fights just multiplied. Gayathri was horrified because, just like Rishika, she never expected these men to cause a riot-like situation.
Meanwhile, Bosco took it upon himself to make matters easy for Siddhi to win the election. He chased Xavier’s gang to the same beach and wanted to kill Gayathri. If Gayathri were killed in this mayhem, the blame would fall on Xavier and Yuvaraj. These men would be collateral, while Siddhi would win the election unopposed. Siddhi was not in favor of this plan, as she and her father did not want to be further disgraced for choosing violence openly. Siddhi could not stop Bosco, as the man was full of himself, and the power made him go against the words of a woman who might become his boss in the future. During the fight between Xavier and Yuvaraj, Bosco slit Gayathri’s throat to showcase his and Siddhi’s power. Gayathri’s injury brought an end to the riot, and many other students were also injured. Xavier was by Gayathri’s side the whole time she was recovering. This proves that he loved her dearly, and he had to get his life sorted if he chose to live with Gayathri.
What Happens To Gayathri?
Dange ended with Gayathri surviving the injury. Everyone was happy Gayathri had lived because she had a political future, and this ordeal she went through would get her plenty of sympathy votes as well. Siddhi was arrested because she was at the beach when Gayathri was attacked, and everyone was aware Bosco was her father’s stooge. Siddhi had to face the brunt of Bosco’s ego, and her father’s dream of making her the chief minister was over. Siddhi was a law-abiding student and a citizen who took the arrest seriously without making any noise about it. Bosco was killed, and it was assumed it was ordered by Siddhi’s father for his ruining his political ambitions.
Gayathri, along with Xavier, Rishika, and Yuvaraj, appeared to the students from the hospital, which was a sign of her comeback. Gayathri would be supported by people closest to her and the entire university who believed in her work. Even though Yuvaraj and Xavier’s feud was interrupted by Gayathri’s life-threatening injury, they chose to move on from it as they realized it was not worth anyone’s life. They had almost lost Gayathri and wouldn’t want any event of this kind to repeat on campus. Yuvaraj was willing to forgive Xavier and move on to help Gayathri. The ending was reminiscent of Mani Ratnam’s Yuva, but that 2004 film was far more intense than Dange.
