OTT Review : Bhakshak – Hindi film on Netflix

Bhakshak, a Hindi film based on the Muzaffarpur Shelter Home rape case, is now streaming on Netflix. Headlined by Bhumi Pednekar, the movie is directed by Pulkit. Let’s see how the film is.

Story:

Set in Patna, Vaishali Singh (Bhumi Pednekar) and Bhaskar Sinha (Sanjay Mishra) run a news channel named Koshish News. One day, an informer, Gupta (Durgesh Kumar), provides Vaishali with a social audit report of a girls’ shelter home in Munnawwarpur. The report states that the girls residing over there are being abused physically. As the government hasn’t taken action, Gupta asks Vaishali to probe into this case. Though Vaishali is reluctant initially, she later takes up the responsibility of exposing the truth. How she does that is what Bhakshak is about.

Plus Points:

The makers deserve appreciation for bringing to light such heinous crimes happening in our country. The plight of the victims is well depicted through the flashback episode of a pivotal character played by Tanisha Mehta. The opening sequence is heart-wrenching and draws our attention instantly.

Bhumi Pednekar is sincere and brilliant as a fearless journalist. Her character is neatly designed by the director. Vaishali is someone who wants to stand on her own, and she even takes up the job of finding the truth despite knowing that her family might land in trouble. Sanjay Mishra, Aditya Srivastava, and Tanisha Mehta are good in their respective roles. The film questions the discrepancies existing in the legal system.

Minus Points:

The film ends with a dialogue that we have all forgotten to care for others in society, which is true. It also questions if we are humans or Bhakshak (predators). But for the message to reach a broader audience, the movie must have a gripping narrative, which is missing in Bhakshak. There is no sense of urgency in the storytelling, which actually limits the movie’s potential.

The makers tried to present the movie in a realistic manner, but there were some logical errors with regard to the investigation, and the detailing was poor. In the film, Police are denied entry into the shelter house, and even Bhumi Pednekar is asked not to capture a photo, stating that it is a private area. However, the social audit report clearly states the horrors happening inside the shelter home. Without outsiders going inside, how did the audit happen? Were the people who conducted the audit threatened by Aditya Srivastava, who runs that shelter home? These aspects are not shown. The female lead also never attempts to find out who actually prepared that report.

Technical Aspects:

The songs are okay, but the background score is good. The cinematography by Kumar Saurabh is neat, while the editing is below par. The production values are fine. Credit to the producers for backing such an issue, which demands attention.

Director Pulkit’s narration isn’t thoroughly engaging, though the script has more potential. The realistic approach is fine, but enough care should have been taken about the logical and detailing part.

Verdict:

On the whole, Bhakshak is a well-intentioned social drama, but the logical errors and not much compelling narration bring down the impact. The incident shown in the film is gut-wrenching, and such things require attention. Bhumi Pednekar is earnest as a small-time journalist, and she is ably supported by Sanjay Mishra. Films like these need a gripping screenplay from start to end, but Bhakshak is slow-paced and catches our attention occasionally.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team