Sonchiriya: Abhishek Chaubey: Chambal Has Moved On From Dacoit Culture; Discrimination Still Exists
Abhishek Chaubey's Sonchiriya may be set in the past but the director says the story of Chambal valley dacoits is relevant as it talks about ‘gender and caste discrimination’, issues that still exist
Abhishek
Chaubey's
Sonchiriya
may
be
set
in
the
past
but
the
director
says
the
story
of
Chambal
valley
dacoits
is
relevant
as
it
talks
about
'gender
and
caste
discrimination',
issues
that
still
exist
in
the
society.
Chaubey,
who
is
known
for
his
heartland
stories
such
as
Ishqiya,
Dedh
Ishqiya
and
Udta
Punjab,
always
thought
Chambal
would
be
a
great
setting
for
a
film.
"We
travelled
there
and
we
started
reading
about
bandits,
meeting
people
who
were
either
bandits
or
policemen
or
who
had
interacted
with
bandits.
We
found
this
culture
of
bandits
fascinating
and
wanted
to
explore
this
space
and
their
issues
in
an
action
thrilling
space," Chaubey
told
PTI.
And
though
the
place,
once
synonymous
with
bandits,
has
moved
on,
the
issues
that
made
dacoity
a
culture
in
the
area,
still
remain
the
same.
"For
the
local
people
in
Chambal,
it
(dacoit
culture)
is
a
thing
of
past.
The
place
has
moved
on.
There
are
no
bandits
now.
But
the
problems
(caste
and
gender
discrimination)
that
exist
in
a
society
are
there.
These
are
as
much
an
issue
in
suburban
Juhu
as
it
they
are
in
Chambal,"
he
added.
Chaubey
said
he
was
surprised
to
learn
that
in
their
glory
days,
Chambal
had
more
than
1,000
gangs,
which
were
primarily
formed
on
the
basis
of
caste.
These
bandits
were
not
criminals
in
the
typical
sense
and
had
a
strong
sense
of
honour.
"They
had
a
code
of
conduct,
they
believed
in
'dharma',
they
wanted
to
protect
their
community,
they
were
not
criminals
who
would
rob
or
loot
people
and
make
merry
with
the
money.
Although
they
were
warriors,
they
lived
like
ascetics.
They
were
very
pious
people.
You
can
say
the
idea
is
misplaced
that
they
are
criminals,"
he
said.
The
director
said
during
his
research,
he
found
that
some
of
the
bandits
are
revered
even
today
and
have
temples
in
their
names.
Citing
the
example
of
cult
films
Bandit
Queen
and
Paan
Singh
Tomar,
Chaubey
said
dacoits
were
'complex
and
layered
people'.
"Ours
is
not
an
origin
story.
Usually
in
the
'daaku' movies,
we
see
why
and
how
a
person
becomes
a
bandit.
My
film
does
not
show
the
reason
as
everybody
knows
it
is
because
of
the
injustice
that
happened.
"My
film
is
about,
now
that
you
are
a
bandit,
you
have
a
purpose
in
life,
you
are
here
to
fight
oppression,
injustice
and
protect
the
community.
And
something
happens
that
makes
you
question
your
beliefs.
I
have
been
influenced
by
these
two
films,
especially
'Bandit
Queen'.
But
my
film
is
a
take
on
the
genre,
it
is
not
replicating
the
genre," he
said.
Chaubey
is
known
for
presenting
strong
female
characters
and
though
Sonchiriya's
world
is
largely
male-centric,
leading
lady
Bhumi
Pednekar
plays
an
integral
part
in
the
story.
"The
film
has
80-90
characters
out
of
which
two-three
are
women.
Bhumi
is
an
ordinary
housewise,
she
doesn't
have
a
voice
but
when
she
is
forced
into
an
extra
ordinary
situation,
she
finds
courage.
Her
story
is
the
core
of
the
film.
Sushant's
story
is
linked
to
her
story."
Most
of
the
dialogues
in
the
film
are
in
the
local
Bundelkhandhi
dialect
but
the
director
director
does
not
believe
it
would
alienate
viewers.
"Udta
Punjab
and
Dedh
Ishqiya
released
with
sub-titles
and
even
this
one
will.
Most
of
the
people
watching
the
film
in
Delhi
or
Mumbai
are
English
speaking.
It
is
shameful
how
we
have
lost
connect
to
our
own
language.
"It
is
my
duty
as
a
filmmaker
to
tell
people
that
there
are
many
'Indias'
here
and
I
take
that
risk.
Thankfully,
my
producers
support
me.
If
people
can
connect
to
'Avengers',
then
this
is
your
own
country
you
should
be
able
to
connect."
The
title,
Chaubey
said,
in
literal
sense
is
the
name
of
the
bird
called
Great
Indian
bustard,
an
endangered
species
found
in
the
Chambal
region.
"If
you
break
the
word,
it
is
the
golden
bird.
Once
upon
a
time
India
was
called
the
golden
bird.
One
of
the
themes
of
the
film
is
about
finding
your
inner
'Sonchiriya',"
he
said.
Starring
Sushant
Singh
Rajput,
Manoj
Bajpayee,
Ranvir
Shorey,
Ashutosh
Rana
and
Bhumi
Pednekar,
the
film
is
slated
to
release
on
March
1.