Oxygen (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in two main locations: a rural village controlled by landlord Raghupati, representing traditional power structures and family interests, and the urban sprawl of Bombay where the investigation and criminal network expand. The village setting highlights the entrenched hierarchy and corruption at a local level, while Bombay exposes the broader reach of the conspiracy.

• raghupati village
• bombay setting
• rural vs urban
• locations

The narrative unfolds in the present day, featuring modern crime-fighting procedures, media coverage, and contemporary investigative techniques. The story alternates between the current operation and flashback sequences that reveal the origins of the Tiger Brand conspiracy and the smoking-related deaths that set the events in motion.

• present day
• time period
• modern era
• contemporary setting

The anti-smoking campaign serves as the emotional and moral backbone of the film. It exposes how a corporate crime network deliberately poisons consumers with opium-laced cigars and corrupts institutional authorities. The climax motivates the public to reconsider smoking habits and hold the offenders accountable, blending personal family tragedy with broader public health concerns.

• anti-smoking
• corporate crime
• public health
• tiger brand cigars

The protagonist's undercover mission creates a tension between seeking justice and operating through deception. Sanjeev must navigate betrayal within authorities while pursuing revenge for his brother's death. The theme shows how truth must often work through lies, with everyone learning that justice can come only at a steep personal cost.

• justice
• deception
• revenge
• undercover mission
• betrayal

Sanjeev lives between being a disciplined officer and becoming Krishna Prasad, a persona he adopts to infiltrate Raghupati's criminal network from within. This disguise allows him to dismantle a powerful criminal operation, but the reveal of his true identity fundamentally alters relationships and shifts the balance of power in the story.

• sanjeev
• krishna prasad
• disguise
• undercover identity

Sanjeev, also known as Krishna Prasad, is a disciplined police officer who hides his true identity to infiltrate a criminal network. His brother Ajay died from lung cancer caused by chain-smoking, which motivates him to launch Mission Oxygen and expose the Tiger Brand conspiracy. His quest blends justice with personal vengeance for his family.

• sanjeev
• krishna prasad
• protagonist
• mission oxygen
• avenge brother

Raghupati is the wealthy village landlord and patriarch who controls his clan through wealth and influence. He orchestrates murders to protect his business empire, particularly the Tiger Brand conspiracy involving opium-laced cigars. His downfall comes after a stroke exposes his true criminal nature, representing the corruption of traditional power structures.

• raghupati
• landlord
• tiger brand
• family patriarch
• villain

Shruti is Sanjeev's wife-to-be who initially resists leaving her family but eventually joins the mission. She helps retrieve the cigar formula and participates in the live broadcast to expose the conspirators. Her growth from reluctant participant to active ally becomes central to the film's emotional arc and supports the protagonist's transformation.

• shruti
• wife
• support character
• mission ally
• emotional arc

Tiger Brand is a cigarette company whose products are secretly laced with opium, causing smoking-related deaths including that of the protagonist's brother. The conspiracy involves a criminal network that poisons consumers while corrupting institutions to protect their operations. Uncovering this scheme becomes the driving force behind Mission Oxygen.

• tiger brand
• opium cigars
• corporate conspiracy
• smoking deaths

The film weaves Ajay's smoking-related death into a broader critique of corporate negligence and institutional corruption. Sanjeev's personal quest for vengeance evolves into a public expose that challenges the entire criminal network. The story argues that personal loss can catalyze meaningful social change when channeled toward accountability.

• ajay death
• personal tragedy
• social accountability
• corporate negligence