Saturday 2 March 2019

SONCHIRIYA MOVIE REVIEW

Sonchiriya opens with the buzzing sounds of flies hovering around a dead snake. Having encountered a dead snake in their path, a bunch of dacoits suggest taking another path since it is considered a bad omen. But their leader urges them to continue walking claiming that changing their direction will not help wash away their sins of the past.

Director Abhishek Chaubey wastes no time in setting up his riveting premise and makes it conspicuous from this very first frame that we are in for an unsettling ride. He, along with co-writer Sudip Sharma (writer of NH-10 and Udta Punjab), whip up a tense thriller of dacoits in Chambal who seek to escape not only the system but also their inner conscience and guilt.

Fashioned as a minefield of emotional outbursts, traumatic visuals of the ghosts of the past, gang rivalry, internal feuds, dark humor and much more, the script offers a fresh spin on the regular dacoit-drama by throwing in twist after twist to sustain an atmosphere of impending doom throughout its running time.

Amidst all the gory and brilliantly staged shootout sequences, at the core of Sonchiriya is the tender bond that develops between a young girl and the dacoits, who consider her as their last chance to seek redemption. This track is what sets apart Sonchiriya from other films of the same genre.

Be warned though, the film isn't an easy watch. There are portions in the second half where your patience may begin to wear thin most likely because many scenes are shot with minimal lighting and the language spoken is bundelkhandi (constantly having to look at the subtitles might distract you a little). This is a minor price the makers were willing to pay to retain the authenticity of the film.

The film, ultimately, is brought alive by its assorted bunch of talented actors, whose conviction to get under the skin of each character is thoroughly satisfying and praiseworthy.

So that's 4/5 for Sonchiriya. Abhishek Chaubey yet again cements his position as one of India's most interesting filmmakers. Watch it because it has the pluck to be uncompromising and yet remain well within the boundaries of mainstream cinema.