Movie Name: Sherni
Sherni Cast: Vidya Balan, Vijay Raaz, Neeraj Kabi, Ila Arun, Sharat Saxena.
Sherni Director: Amit Masurkar
Sherni Stars: 3/5
Sherni is a story set in the backdrop of man-animal conflict, where a forest officer Vidya Vincent (Vidya Balan), is pushed to a Catch-22 situation. Armed with her ideals, Vidya’s utopia is shattered when she has to choose between idealism and pragmatism to save a ‘man-eater’ tigress. Sherni is not just a film about the tigress; it’s a metaphor for Vidya, who has to fight the patriarchy, politics and the obsequious attitude of her seniors in the forest department towards their political masters. And to top it, she has a faction of co-workers who neither trust a woman in charge nor can give up their lackadaisical attitudes.
Helmed by Newton-fame director Amit Masurkar, the film carries the writer-director’s trademark satire on society, state machinery, and politics. Similar to Newton, Amit ruminates with the conflict and tensions of the character till the climax. Yet, he always walks the tightrope between an ‘activist hero’ and an ‘everyman hero’ while sketching the character curve of the protagonist. This is what makes his film relatable -- and also heart-breaking for those who dream of a utopic climax. To quote from his film Newton, you aren’t doing a favour by diligently doing your duties. Yet, it’s ironic that one can find such characters as heroes. Perhaps because we have come to believe this is a rarity.
When it’s a Vidya Balan film, you can make a safe bet that she will not let down. Vidya plays around with the character with finesse throughout the film. She flows through the character’s curve with surgical precision. Vidya's approach to the role creates myriad layers of personalities for the character. Forest officer Vidya is simple yet gutsy. Idealistic yet bold. Headstrong yet passionate.
The film also has an eclectic mix of actors like Sharad Saxena, Mukul Chaddha, Vijay Raaz, Ila Arun, Brijendra Kala, and Neeraj Kabi in critical roles. One of the welcoming changes in Hindi films today is casting actors who can speak the regional language they play. Particularly in this film, Vidya Balan’s conversation with her mother in Malayalam is a heart-warming touch.The sound and music department has done a good job. Around the climax, Lyricist Hussain Haidry weaves the story of two cats and a monkey through a song to depict the gist of the situation.
In the end, Sherni leaves the audience with a disquieting silence, making us wonder who is the real beast in a man-animal conflict. And more importantly, can utopia, idealism and pragmatism coexist? Sherni confronts the truth while reminding us to do our duties before walking out with a head held high.