It draws the themes of crime and retribution, caste and gender, despair and redemption into the near-mythic, overarching sweep of the narrative. The film completely upends the conventions of the genre. Even birds of prey need to pray.Taasir English News Network | Uploaded on 01-March-2019Ĭast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Ranaĭirector and co-writer Abhishek Chaubey, working with a superb screenplay by Sudip Sharma and aided by first-rate camerawork (Anuj Rakesh Dhawan), editing (Meghna Sen), sound design and background score (Bendict Taylor and Naren Chandavarkar), crafts a disturbing, unvarnished cinematic portrait of violence and its repercussions in Sonchiriya, an immersive dacoit drama set in the harsh, dusty ravines of Chambal in the 1970s. The film skims topics of caste, gender, religion and politics, and proves to be a film about the desperation to belong to something larger than oneself, the all-consuming desire to believe in something. Sonchiriya claims to be about a band of outlaws in wild search of a golden bird - but that bird may well be a goose. The songs work better when heard as an album, particularly the version of the title track sung by Rekha Bhardwaj. The music by Vishal Bhardwaj is atmospheric and Varun Grover’s lyrics evocative, but it feels out of place in this long and otherwise sparse film. The men may not be on horses, yet the dramatic triggers pulled by the narrative are stubbornly old-school and cinematic. There are times the film plays beautifully with tension, but a pretentiously slow pace lets it down. The action is choreographed elaborately, with Chaubey continuing to display his love for Mexican standoffs, and the dialogues feel nakedly authentic. Just watch out for the great line about cowardly men being measured up for lehngas.) (I can’t tell you what the part is, but you’ll know it when you see it. The bandits include a vaguely blonde one, as well as one who looks like Kratos from the God Of War video games, and a terrific pint-sized performer is cast in a most iconic role, and explodes across the screen. Dare we call this comeback the Rana-issance? Bhumi Pednekar plays a desperately feisty woman on the run and holds her own strongly.Ĭhaubey has always brought us interesting faces. It’s great to have him back in the mix, an actor who makes small parts feel vital. Rana, a fine actor, has been reappearing in prominent cinema more often - Mulk, Dhadak, Simmba.
#Sonchiriya cast professional
Manoj Bajpai is excellent as a rebel chief, holding up a wedding with the practiced ease of a professional breaking out his routine, while Bhumi Pednekar, a desperately feisty woman on the run, holds her own strongly.Ī round of applause for Ashutosh Rana, as the brutal cop chasing down the brigands. Shorey aces it, as does Sushant Singh Rajput, playing a man called Lakhna - a name that may automatically damn the wearer to banditry - uncompromising and duty-bound, even if his idea of duty can change on the fly. The story is simple, about many outlaws on the run.
#Sonchiriya cast movie
For instance, characters tormented by ghosts of their guilt see these ghosts frequently and simultaneously, as if haunted to the very same degree.Īlso read: Isn’t It Romantic movie review: Priyanka Chopra finally justifies her presence in Hollywood Ashutosh Rana plays the brutal cop chasing down the brigands. Shot breathtakingly by Anuj Rakesh Dhawan, this may be Chaubey’s best crafted film, but feels superficial, and is needlessly heavy-handed by way of metaphor. The question is loaded, and while the film does provide possible answers to ponder, it doesn’t engage deeply or philosophically with them. The word ‘baaghi’ is best translated as ‘rebel’ instead of ‘dacoit’ or ‘bandit,’ but what is their cause? The film poses the question early on, one character asking in as many words: “If the dharma of the policeman is to catch the rebel, what is the dharma of the rebel?” The one laughing is the optimistically named Vakil Singh, played by a phenomenal Ranvir Shorey, throwing his head back to confront the futility of his life and struggle.