Is Dr. Rajkumar starrer 'Daari Tappida Maga' (1975) psychological thriller, although at surface level its a family drama?
This is not just a family or twin-brother drama. It is actually a psychological thriller. Let us see why I am saying this.
What if I told you that Prashant (or Prakash) is not a real person but just a mental projection of Prasad. Prasad's subconscious mind is trying to playout the 'darker' side of himself. Prakash stands for everything which Prasad isn't. Prasad is idealist, moralist but suffers from forgetfulness whereas Prashant is sharp, smart but criminal, thief and evil
Prakash is sharp, intelligent but a criminal, womanizer and deceives by impersonating sometimes as CBI officer and sometimes as an ascetic, whereas Prasad is a college professor lives a monotonous life suffering from loss of memory or absent minded to that extent that he even mistakes some other woman has his wife. When that happens, he is very ashamed of himself. He is also obedient son under strong influence of his mother. His forgetfulness is actually indicating that his subconscious mind is occupied by something else. This also proves that Prakash is construction of Prasad's subconscious.
It is shown in the film as if Prasad and Prakash are living their life in a disjointed world which again reinforces that viewer is made to see the Prashant's life through subconscious mind of Prasad. The recurring BGM indicates that Prasad's subconscious goes through a loop which is basically Prakash carrying out heists at various places across India by impersonating. Although darker side of Prasad i.e. Prakash yearns for such heists but at the same time Police DGP also expressed doubt that how come same individual can do so many heists and still escape. This further reinforces that this is not REALITY but is all happening in the Prasad's subconscious. In fact, Prakash says at one point that there can be nobody like him even if his mother would have given birth to another son.
There are many sequences in which Prasad still in clutches of mother's love to the extent that he is shown as man child. Prasad's wife even chides him about the same. This also indicates that Prasad as an adult man personality is not complete and hence, he is still lost in his subconscious's construct Prakash. On the other hand, Prakash is outgoing, smart and daring and constantly confronts challenges and dangers.
It was only through accident (road accident) the Prakash enters the house of Prasad although Prasad's mother and his wife initially identify him as Prasad till both come in the same frame when Prasad returns from journey.
Prasad (better/real side) and Prashant (darker/subconscious side) confront each other in duel fight which only ends up in Prasad telling Prakash (sharp, smart and intelligent) that his mother yearns for qualities which Prakash represents and not what Prashant represents, who is immoral, evil, thief and wanted by police.
After this Prasad tries to accept his darker side (sharp but criminal) and even tries to integrate that side into life. At one point, he says he will surrender and allow Prakash to continue his life. This indicates how much Prasad's other side (Prashant) is troubling him. Prashant repeatedly says Prasad, his mother and wife are like gods who stands for virtue and dharma, and he can't see a place in this house. This again Prasad trying to kill or suppress his darker side once for all so that he is not troubled by it.
So, the very fact that Prasad is absent minded indicates that he is stuck in the loops which his subconscious mind constructs where Prashant is active and does all the things which are evil, bad and other things which are antagonistic to real life Prasad stands/lives for
Jung’s Concept of the Shadow:
The "shadow" represents aspects of your personality that you reject or deny, often because they are considered undesirable or socially unacceptable.
Shadow may contain repressed instincts, weakness
