Humble Politician Nograj 2018

Nograj is a corrupt corporator of a fictional constituency called DS Nagar, riding alongside his loyal assistant Monjunath. His MLA, Jagatprabhu F. Kumar, known as JFK, treats corporators as his servants and regularly steals credit for public achievements. Nograj confronts this dynamic when he has a road repaved at three times the actual cost, only to watch JFK take the glory for it.

To undermine JFK, Nograj and his OBP allies orchestrate a garbage-collector strike and run a sweeping parking scam, stoking broad public anger. The rising discontent prompts KG Byrappa, the OBP president, to refuse letting JFK stand in the upcoming MLA election. Seeking to propel himself forward, Nograj convinces Gurudas Bhat to push for his candidacy to the OBP’s vice president Michael Narayan, though Gurudas also presses for a moment in the spotlight. In a bid to grab attention, Nograj even bribes electrician Kempaiah to shut off the power grid, and he publicly threatens to cut himself if the power isn’t restored, which ultimately leads to a rapid power comeback.

Meanwhile, Arun Patil, an honest NRI who leads a pharmaceutical startup, decides to run for MLA with the aim of implementing real solutions rather than stoking divisions. Patil uncovers Nograj’s scheme to inflate prices by selling water from tankers, a scam that causes persistent shortages, but he initially withholds the information, preferring not to descend into typical political mudslinging. In a confrontation over Patil’s manifesto, Nograj and Monjunath attempt a break-in to steal it, but their plan fails. Patil’s colleagues urge him to release the footage of the incident, yet he refuses, arguing that there are more important issues to address. During the campaign, Patil presents clear, practical solutions while Nograj relies on loud, paid supporters and empty rhetoric.

Nograj intensifies his strategy to smear Patil, even as Patil highlights his own integrity. He tails Patil and broadcasts doctored footage of Patil supposedly harassing his wife, Rama. He also coerces a former Muslim employee of Patil’s company to allege religious discrimination, even though that worker had dealings with the black market in pharmaceuticals. In a turning point, Nograj meets Patil at his home and sees firsthand that Patil is kind and honest, which makes him pause and reconsider his tactics. However, Monjunath and another helper beat Nograj up and stage the injuries as if Patil was responsible, a move that grabs media attention and shifts the political narrative.

On election day, Nograj relies on dirty tricks—handing out alcohol, money, and other inducements—to sway voters. When the results are announced, Nograj appears to have won, but he manipulates the moment by convincing Patil that he will be given a share of the victory before seizing the title himself. He proclaims, in a swaggering finish, that Patil—like everyone else—should be a citizen because he believed Nograj was genuine, celebrating wildly with OBP workers. In the aftermath, Rama asks Patil why he didn’t expose Nograj’s water scam, and he replies that he would never stoop to Nograj’s level.