Sherni: Vidya Balan Owns This Powerful Film
Anukriti is a student who dabbles in writing when she finds time.
View all posts by this Author
By Anukriti Roy
First publised on 2021-06-18 06:46:57
About the Author
Anukriti is a student who dabbles in writing when she finds time.
View all posts by this Author
What happens when a man-eating tigress gets displaced from her natural habitat and strays into the space humans have reserved for themselves? While some indulge in politics, backed by those who want to profit by killing the big cat, there are others like forest officer Vidya Vincent (Vidya Balan) whose duty it is to protect the animal and ensure that it goes back where it belongs. Sherni (streaming on Prime Video) is the story of how a determined forest officer overcomes all odds, including a patriarchal society, sneers of her peers for being a woman and a forest officer, the machinations of the politicians and the anger of the people who live near the forest, and does her duty to try and save the tigress.
The film is a beautiful analysis of the man versus animal conflict. It eschews the normal style of Bollywood film making and takes the viewer on a journey where things are shown as they are. The message it wants to convey is done without preaching. That makes it a powerful film on the subject.
In her journey on the field after years of pushing files on a desk job (because she is a woman), Vidya finds collaborators in Hassan Noorani (Vijay Raaz) and Nangia (Neeraj Kabi) who understand what the degradation of the forest will do to the ecosystem. She is also well supported by her team of juniors and some of the village folk. Thus, when it seems that the unscrupulous hunter Ranjan Rajhans (Sharat Saxena) would convince the local politicians of the need to kill the man-eater, Vidya asserts herself, quietly but forcefully. But people change sides and things go out of her hand. Does she manage to save the tigress and her cubs? Or do politicians and their lackeys have their way?
Vidya Balan owns the film and proves yet again that she is an amazing actress. In a well-written part, Vidya makes her journey from a file pusher to a go-getter on the ground memorable through signature restraint. Her heroics are limited to asserting herself in the most convincing manner. Vijay Raaz is brilliant as ever and is the perfect foil for Vidya. Sharat Saxena, Neeraj Kabi and Ila Arun look perfectly in place.
Don't miss this powerful and entertaining film.
