Siya Movie Review: Brutally Honest But A Little Too Clinical

Manish Mundra's directorial debut Siya is based largely on the Unnao and Hathras rape cases and subsequent tragedies that befell the victims all through their efforts to find justice that remained stubbornly elusive. The film exposes the craters in the justice delivery system corruptly influenced by political heavyweights - but the rather clinical mode of representation here doesn't allow for a strong emotional connect.

A 17-year-old teen from Devganj village, Uttar Pradesh is repeatedly raped and brutalized while in captivity for more than a week by a group of men with strong political connections.

Once the disinterested cops are forced to take note of her disappearance, she is rescued and her trials and tribulations begin all over again while she fights for justice within a system that makes the victim its prisoner.

Pooja Pandey, as the victim/protagonist and Vineet Kumar Singh as a notary lawyer who becomes her gallant knight against all odds make it all real and palpable with their sincere performances. Manish Mundra, producer of some of the most feted films (Aankhon Dekhi, Masaan, Newton) in recent Indian film history, delivers a fairly engrossing narrative that plays against stereotype.

While the brutal act is against the weakest section of society, we see here a refreshing change in representation that has the family supporting the young girl all through her harrowing ordeal despite being at risk all along. Manish's sensitivity or sensibility is not in question but a little emotion would have gone a long way in making this film an unforgettable experience.

And we are not talking melodrama - just some visible signs that trauma has a destabilising effect on life after rape, especially when the emotional and psychological remains unaddressed. Mundra eschews graphic details of the barbaric acts and even the victim's emotions are largely cauterized.

Siya is not exactly a hard-hitting film but it does well to expose the vagaries of the criminal justice system that depends entirely on the evidence gathered by a disinclined and corrupt police force.

Mundra's film essentially shows us how rape and its aftermath becomes the focus for the victim and her family even though she wants to move on - while the perpetrators have the leeway of using every trick in the book to stay free of all stigma and criminal responsibility. If you are looking for redemption and catharsis you won't get it here. This is a straightforward depiction of a crime and what follows.

The production design by Rashmi Somvanshi is rustic and well in keeping with the milieu, music by Neel Adhikari is unobtrusive and rather underwhelming and cinematography is rather objective and aloof.

Siya is a sincere effort, no doubt. But the tension and emotion is not strong enough to curry mass affect.

For women in distress help available at:

Central Social Welfare Board -Police Helpline: 1091/ 1291, (011) 23317004; Shakti Shalini- women's shelter: (011) 24373736/ 24373737; All India Women's Conference: 10921/ (011) 23389680; Joint Women's Programme: (011) 24619821; Sakshi- violence intervention center: (0124) 2562336/ 5018873; Nirmal Niketan (011) 27859158; JAGORI (011) 26692700; Nari Raksha Samiti: (011) 23973949; RAHI Recovering and Healing from Incest. A support centre for women survivors of child sexual abuse: (011) 26238466/ 26224042, 26227647.