Bhakshak, Bhumi Pedenkar’s crime thriller, is available on Netflix. The film is unsettling, gloomy, and upsetting. Based on actual incidents that take place in the secret chambers of girls’ shelter houses at Munnawarpur, The film, directed by Pulkit, contains strong language and a number of difficult-to-watch sequences. Bhakshak is a Red Chillies Entertainment production, produced by Gaurav Verma and Gauri Khan.
The plot, co-written by Pulkit and Jyotsana Nath, is about Patna-based investigative journalist Vaishali Singh (Bhumi Pednekar), who uses every resource at her disposal to uncover a horrific crime that took place inside a girls’ shelter in the tiny Bihar hamlet of Munnawarpur. The owner of the shelter, Bansi Sahu (Aditya Srivastava), is at the centre of all the crimes and abuse, and his accomplices shamelessly join him in the horrendous crime. Vaishali learns startling information about him as she continues her inquiry.
With the underage girls saved and a couple of the offenders apprehended, the film closes on a poignant note. A speech by Bhumi Pednekar’s character, who, in a sense, breaches the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience about people’s lack of empathy in today’s world, follows the final event.
Storyline:
A struggling Patna news reporter named Vaishali Singh (Bhumi Pednekar) co-owns the Koshish News channel with cameraman Bhaskar Sinha (Sanjay Mishra). In a social audit report that Guptaji (Durgesh Kumar), an informant, gives Vaishali, it is said that minors living in a Munawwarpur shelter home are being sexually abused and killed conveniently. Vaishali, after putting up a fight, makes the decision to investigate further and find out whether or not what has been reported about the shelter home is accurate. Vaishali quickly learns that she is up against forces that are quite strong and have political support.
What works in the movie Bhakshak?
Bhakshak is a gripping crime thriller with a powerful story and an engaging narrative. One of the most significant films of the past few years. Through its course, this sombre, spine-chilling, and compassionately performed societal satire makes you doubt yourself several times. This film is a masterwork in every sense, from the storyline and direction to the performances and other technical aspects. It’s genuinely unsettling because of how disturbing its criticism is on the world we live in. The greatest thing about Bhakshak is that it teaches its audience how powerful they are and how they can use that power to improve and make our world a safer place. Being silent when injustice is taking place in front of you will not benefit you in any way.
What didn’t work?
Sadly, the victims are shown in the movie as a group of people who don’t have any compelling backstories to tell. The writers gave her irritating brother-in-law more character development than they did the young ladies Vaishali saved in the movie.
The movie does flag in the middle and begins to ramble, veering away from the crime and onto the more pressing concerns of reporting it and dealing with the system. Although the plot and script are excellent, the writing team may have done a considerably better job. Additionally, more shocking disclosures could have been made to increase the shock factor.
The movie succumbs to some overused cliches that you can’t help but notice. The film’s key themes include powerplay, politicians, police, bureaucracy, corruption, and the system; it’s in these areas that the script seems a touch stale and unoriginal.
Bhakshak Performances:
Bhakshak is a fantastic movie thanks to the performances of all the other supporting cast members, including Surya Sharma, Satkyakam Anand, Sai Tamhankar, Durgesh Kumar, and Chittaranjan Tripathy.
In her role as news reporter Vaishali Singh, Bhumi Pednekar gives a strong and incredibly moving performance. She arrives home late one night, and there’s a tense incident with her on-screen spouse, Arvind Singh (Surya Sharma).
Cameraman Bhaskar Sinha, played by Sanjay Mishra, is a trustworthy character. His presence alone adds value to the proceedings. Aditya Srivastava, who plays Bansi Sahu, the trustee of the refuge for young ladies, is clearly the most outstanding actor. You will have restless nights because of his evil smirk in the final scene.
Is it worth watching?
Bhakshak is a fantastic movie that is well worth seeing. It is a potent work of art with the potential to effect significant change.
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