'Bastar' review: A hard-hitting reality bogged down by poor acting
After the humongous success of The Kerala Story (TKS), the trio of director Sudipto Sen, actor Adah Sharma, and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, collaborated on another project titled Bastar: The Naxal Story. Though the second collaboration has bettered on many aspects, especially writing, it wouldn't taste similar success to TKS. The lead star here continues to be the weakling. Read our review.
Shows one of the deadliest naxal attacks on armed forces
Set between 2005 and 2013, it's focused on India's internal threat - the Naxals. It shows three key incidents - the petition to disband Salwa Judum, the deadly Dantewada Naxal attack on CRPF, and the assassination of a Congress leader. It revolves around CRPF IG Neerja Madhvan (Sharma), who is fighting against Naxals in Chhattisgarh while also against alleged Maoist supporters in Delhi's courtroom.
Like in 'TKS,' Sharma doesn't impress us here
As a no-nonsense officer, Sharma barely saves the film. On several occasions, she has tried hard to play the strict officer who even took on the Home Minister in an inquiry meeting without fear of suspension. Yet, she barely leaves a mark with her acting. She fails miserably to express emotions in a scene where she's standing next to martyred jawans.
Good writing makes up for its other flaws
Bastar: The Naxal Story has many occasions where it does charge you emotionally. At no point does it deviate from its storyline. Some scenes, like the "celebration" of the Dantewada attack in JNU, will hit you in the gut. The story is also supported by well-written dialogues, including Sharma's two monologues - one before the Home Minister and the other before the judicial committee.
The supporting cast is better than the lead actor
Other actors - Indira Tiwari as Ratna, Vijay Krishna as Moist leader Lanka Reddy, Yashpal Sharma as prosecutor lawyer, Raima Sen as author Vanya Roy, and Shilpa Shukla as defense lawyer - show the film's casting strength. Tiwari impresses the most as a woman who watched her husband get brutally butchered by Reddy before she became a special police officer to avenge his murder.
Other hits and misses
Unlike TKS, the background score (BGM) here works well but not its songs. Similarly, the action sequences have been shot well, especially the ambush on the forces, but it does have a scope of improvement. Sen shows a conflict between Ratna and his son, who joins the Naxals. The idea is brilliant but its execution fails at how he resolves the conflict.
It deserves to be watched for the story it tells
Bastar: The Naxal Story has loopholes here and there but it sure brings reality to the silver screen. Not many of the urban population are aware of the Naxal conflict in India, especially in Chhattisgarh. Here, the film does a decent job of showing some of the many issues within 120 minutes for which Sen deserves a mention. Verdict: 2.5 stars out of 5.
