Rating:
2.5/5
Star
Cast:
Sushant
Singh
Rajput,
Manoj
Bajpayee,
Bhumi
Pednekar,
Ranvir
Shorey,
Mahesh
Balraj
Director:
Abhishek
Chaubhey
Sonchiriya
Movie
Review:
Sushant
Singh
Rajput
|
Manoj
Bajpayee
|
Bhumi
Pednekar
|
FilmiBeat
In
a
scene
in
Abhishek
Chaubey's
Sonchiriya,
a
cop
points
at
a
bandit
movie
poster
stuck
on
a
wall
and
asks
a
man
if
he
watched
that
flick
and
liked
it.
To
this,
the
young
fellow
chuckles
and
says
that
unlike
the
reel
where
bandits
arrive
on
horses,
the
reality
is
quite
different.
Abhishek
Chaubey's
latest
offering
derives
its
narrative
from
a
space
where
caste,
gender,
masculinity
and
patriarchy
run
skin
deep.
The
film
begins
with
a
disturbing
close-up
shot
of
a
rotting
carcass
of
a
cobra
being
feasted
on
by
a
swarm
of
flies.
Soon,
when
group
of
dacoits
approach
it,
their
leader
lifts
the
serpent
with
the
barrel
of
his
shotgun
and
places
it
aside
before
mumbling
a
quick
prayer.
We
realize
that
beneath
their
tough
exterior,
these
'baaghis' are
desperate
to
let
go
their
burden
of
guilt
of
a
crime
gone
wrong.
One
of
them
even
expresses
how
the
pride
of
being
a
bandit
is
slowing
making
way
for
a
sense
of
shame.
The
dacoits
led
by
Man
Singh
(Manoj
Bajpayee)
are
the
mice
in
this
game
of
death
with
a
policeman
Virendra
Gujjar
(Ashutosh
Rana)
hunting
them
down
like
a
snake
for
his
own
personal
reason.
The
caste,
on
the
other
hand,
hovers
over
everyone
like
a
vulture.
The
women
ain't
spared
either.
There
is
a
scene
where
a
female
character
says,
"Yeh
jaati
sirf
aadhmiyon
ke
liye
hai,
aurton
ko
alag
hi
jaat
hoti
hai,
in
sabse
neeche."
Abhishek
Chaubey
dives
deep
into
a
landscape
where
death
stalks
everyone
but
doesn't
guarantee
redemption.
The
filmmaker's
realistic
depiction
of
the
Chambal
ravines
combined
with
minute
detailing
of
every
character
in
the
film
is
worth
an
applause.
Having
said
that,
it's
the
cluttered
narrative
which
plays
a
major
spoilsport.
Despite
having
an
interesting
premise,
the
director
fails
to
control
your
senses
with
his
bumpy
execution
making
you
a
little
restless
in
your
seats.
Speaking
about
the
performances,
Sushant
Singh
Rajput
as
Lakhan
wears
his
character
like
his
second
skin.
Bhumi
Pednekar
delivers
an
earnest
performance
in
her
frames.
Manoj
Bajpayee
as
Man
Singh
leaves
you
highly
impressed
with
his
superlative
acting
chops.
Ranvir
Shorey
portrays
the
ruthlessness
and
the
seething
anger
of
his
character
with
great
conviction.
Ashutosh
Rana's
menacing
act
leaves
a
mark.
The
gunfire-exchange
sequences
in
Sonchiriya
are
well-choreographed
and
are
depicted
realistically.
The
background
score
adds
more
to
the
tension
in
the
film.
Anuj
Rakesh
Dhawan's
cinematography
is
raw
and
rustic.
Meghana
Sen's
taut
editing
packs
in
some
punch.
There's
a
dialogue
in
the
film
which
goes,
"Sonchiriya
jaake
sab
dhundh
rahe
hain,
jo
kaaho
ke
haath
nahi
aani
ki."
This
Sushant
Singh
Rajput-Bhumi
Pednekar
starrer
falls
short
of
soaring
high
in
the
sky.
I
am
going
with
2.5
stars.