Bheed Movie Review: Anubhav Sinha’s recent movie “Bheed” starts with a gut-wrenching incident that shook the entire nation during the COVID-induced lockdown: a goods train ran over a group of migrant workers sleeping on the tracks near Jalna, Maharashtra. Shot in black and white, the film avoids showing the gory visuals, but this only intensifies the impact. It sets the tone for what follows in the next 114 minutes, depicting the harrowing experiences of migrant laborers stranded at a checkpoint near Tejpur.
Set in 2020, the story revolves around a check post near Tejpur where exhausted migrant laborers are stopped due to the government’s sudden decision to close state borders. The newly appointed in-charge, Surya Kumar Singh Tikas (played to perfection by Rajkummar Rao), is outnumbered and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation. Joining him is his girlfriend, Renu Sharma (Bhumi Pednekar), a medical intern sent to the spot to test the sick migrants for Covid and tend to them. The cast also includes Circle Officer Subhash Yadav (Ashutosh Rana), and Ram Singh (Aditya Shrivastava), a man of a higher caste who is now made to report to Tikas.
As trucks and buses filled with migrant laborers begin to arrive at this checkpoint, which has neither food nor any kind of other basic amenities, tension starts to mount, and tempers start to rise. There is caste politics, class discrimination, religious intolerance, a show of power, and a shameless display of privilege. There is misinformation doled out on WhatsApp, there is fear of the unknown, and there is desperation. There is pandemonium and chaos. And suddenly everything reaches the boiling point.
Bheed Movie Review: A Heartfelt Portrayal of the Resilience and Courage of Ordinary People During an Extraordinary Crisis
Anubhav Sinha is known for creating stories that challenge India’s social and political realities. In “Bheed,” he addresses the caste divide in modern India, with Tikas as the hero, a Dalit policeman who confronts the discrimination and embraces his identity. The nuanced writing also touches on the rising Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims.
Rajkummar Rao delivers an exceptional performance as Tikas, and Pankaj Kapur’s portrayal of the Brahmin watchman, Balram Trivedi, is a masterclass in nuanced acting. Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana, and Aditya Srivastava also deliver compelling performances. However, Dia Mirza’s character feels like a Marie Antoinette figure, while the character of the television reporter (Kritika Kamra) is wasted, despite her poignant speeches.
In conclusion, “Bheed” is a poignant depiction of India’s migrant crisis during the COVID lockdown. The film’s black and white cinematography creates a powerful impact, while the writing is nuanced and poignant, with some preachy patches.
The director’s repertoire of thought-provoking films that challenge India’s democratic values is expanding, and Bheed is the latest addition. With a nuanced approach, the filmmaker tackles societal issues like never before, trading in the grandiosity of Anek for a more subtle and emotionally resonant experience. Although it dips into preachiness at times, Bheed’s poignant exploration of uncomfortable realities makes it a must-watch.
Bheed Movie Review : Our rating 4.5/5
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