Bhonsle Review

Bhonsle, the titular character of the movie, is a retired constable hoping to get a service extension. He leads a quiet, colourless symbolized by his clothing style. All this contrasts with the vibrant and colourful atmosphere of Ganesh Utsav, a ten-day festival in Maharashtra and the main setting of the movie.

When two migrants, siblings Sita and Lalu, move next to him, he shows little to no interest in them. Taxi driver Vilas rallies against migrants from the north, accusing them of snatching job opportunities from the Marathis. Bhonsle doesn't take any part in this as well. In a simple manner, the tale narrates itself into a beautiful, thought striking masterpiece which will leave its quiet mark on you.

The movie is set in pre-modern times but resembles our modern society in a crystal clear way. The hatred and prejudices of the bygone days still remain deeply rooted in much more educated times of today. The lonely life Bhonsle leads had become a parallel for people in the cities who are surrounded by flashy streetlights and loud traffics but feel alone at the bottom of their hearts. The innocence teenager Lalu shows which eventually gets exploited is a synonym for the child everyone deeply hides in their souls, the freshness Sita provides is staled by injustice.

Manoj Baypayee only deepens his character and sharpens it with intricacy. His performance takes the right shot and dives deep in the core, be it his facial expressions or his body language- Baypayee plays Bhonsle with the desolation that hits you right at heart. The cast thrives with such a brilliant script and an outstanding direction, adding to the movie's pull. Devashish Makhija charms you into a serene, calm frame only to rattle your mind with the movie's trembling accusations against the system of injustice. He charms you in, but you yourself can't pull away from its magnetic charm. Bhonsle doesn't take a larger picture but instead looks upon a small frame metaphorically symbolizing life as it is today in it's raw, naked state. Like it's story, Bhonsle stays quiet in the booming world of Bollywood but silences us with it's pensive tale.