As Vidya Balan fronts a picture on the supremacy of nature and human avarice, led by the majestic tiger, you want to give Amit Masurkar accolades.
Vidya Balan, Brijendra Kala, Vijay Raaz, Sharat Saxena, Mukul Chadha, and Ila Arun star in the film Sherni.
Amit Masurkar is the director of the film Sherni.
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Story
An honorable Forest Officer seeks equilibrium in a world of man-animal conflict while simultaneously searching for her real calling in a challenging environment.
Vidya Vincent is the new DFO of a village where a Tigress has been frightening the residents for a long time by killing them.
After further investigation, the Tigress is thought to be T 11. Vidya and her crew educate the villagers on how to be safe and alert them to any unusual activity in the woods that might lead to Tigress. However, local politics interfere, and a keen shot Ranjan Rajhans (Pintu Bhaiyaa), is summoned to hunt the Tigress, who believes in hunting for records.
Vidya Balan came out as a Sherni in the Movie!
Review
Vidya Vincent (Vidya Balan), a dedicated forest officer, has not been promoted in nine years. Her new job in the forests of Bijapur comes with its own set of unique problems. When she gently mentions to her husband, Pawan (Mukul Chaddha), through video chat, that she feels stagnant with little progress and may quit if she gets that sought promotion, he encourages her to stay. Mostly because he is unsure how long he would be able to keep his work in Mumbai.
Vidya’s environment appears isolated in many respects, as the lone woman in a male-dominated sector. Her colleagues and peers attempting to undermine her are, however, the least of her concerns. She may be a woman of few words, but it doesn’t take away from the case that she is tenacious and deeply committed to her profession. Humans and farm animals become prey when a tigress, designated as T12 by the forest service, begins hunting near the village. The locals are used to seeing tigers pass through their fields because their community is surrounded by forests on both sides.
According to them, tigers frequently pass by without even looking in their direction. Still, this new development spreads dread of lives and livelihood. One that has been fanned by feuding local politicians and turned into an electoral discussion for the forthcoming elections. For Vidya, locating and apprehending T12 alive is critical, but this requires navigating local sentiments, political pressure, her boss Bansal’s (Brijendra Kalra) attitude who just wants the problem to disappear into the woods, and Ranjan Rajhans (Sharat Saxena), a politician’s ally who calls himself a conservationist but prides himself on the numb.
Her sole support appears to come from Hassan Noorani (Vijay Raaz), a zoology professor at a neighboring college, as well as some local villagers such as Jyoti (Sampa Mandal), a village council member, and Mr. Nangia (Neeraj Kabi), the Forest Department Head.
As he delves into the man-versus-animal struggle, director Amit Masurkar creates a dense and complicated tale with a rich visual texture. The script (Aastha Tiku) is carefully detailed, providing insight into the protagonist’s thoughts and the workings of the department and how the hamlet and the forest are intertwined in their existence.
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The Rakesh Haridas’ cinematography and sound design (Anish John) practically romance the deep, verdant forests – dappled sunlight, babbling streams, buzzing insects, rustling foliage, unique bird and animal noises – it all comes to life in ‘Sherni.’ One just cannot leave without first falling in love with the trees. However, just as one is readily captivated by the beauty, one of Vidya’s attendants informs her, You may travel to the jungle 100 times and only see a tiger once.
Still, you can be sure that the tiger has seen you 99 times. A terrifying reminder of who is the intruder and who rules the jungles. The background soundtrack (Benedict Taylor, Naren Chandavarkar) adds to the mystery. The film’s only song (music by Bandish Project, words by Hussain Haidry) hits the appropriate tone.
“Sher hain to jungle hai, jungle hai to baarish hain, baarish hain to paani hain aur paani hai toh hum hain,” these words from a ‘Forest Friend’ trained by Hassan Noorani reassure Vidya that all is not lost in the midst of an intense search for the Tigress, which is basically a race against time and adversaries.
Vidya Balan delivers a beautiful, subtle yet powerful performance, exuding her character’s quiet resolve, passion, and tenacity. Vidya discreetly battles sexism and bigotry not just at work, but even at times at home, without any theatrical connotations but with eyes that inspire rage and speak volumes. Vijay Raaz, Brijendra Kala, Neeraj Kabi, Sampa Mandal, and Sharat Saxena all contribute with naturalistic performances. Satyakam Anand also left his imprint.
Masurkar keeps us enthralled and riveted for the most part, with only a few times where the pace slows. As ‘Sherni’ takes us deep into the jungles, it also provides some sarcastic comedy via thrilling, stressful tiger tracks. Finally, even as you absorb in the magnificent splendor of the forests, Masurkar’s powerful video on animal conservation and preserving ecological balance leaves you with a disturbing message. ‘Sherni’ is an exciting, fascinating picture that is a must-see. If you’re anticipating the boom and rumble of a typical Bollywood film, you’ll be disappointed. But therein lies its allure.
