Bandishala Movie Review

Bandishala Movie Review
Critic's Rating:  1.5/5
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Cast: Mukta Barve,Vikram Gaikwad,Sharad Ponkshe,Umesh Jagtap,Pravin Tarde,Asha Shelar,Hemangi Kavi-Dhumal
Direction: Milind Lele
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Milind Lele’s Bandishala has recently been in limelight for its major win at state awards, a total of seven awards including the best debut production, the second-best film and the best actress for Mukta Barve. In addition to this, the film is also included in the package that the state government sends every year to the market section of Cannes film festival. One certainly expects a strong performance from such a celebrated film. Unfortunately, Bandishala does not live up to the expectations.

Based on the title and most of the first half, we see the film as the story of a jail operated by a female jailor, Madhavi Sawant (Barve). Madhavi is honest but strict, a little tired because of the overcrowded jail and the pressures of fighting the seniors with ulterior motives, rampant corruption and constant outbursts of violence amongst the inmates. As the film progresses, it falls into a routine. We see Madhavi’s ‘tough-guy’ persona in jail; usually taking care of some fight or the other, then we see her at home as a dutiful wife to Shekhar Desai (Gaikwad) and a loving mother to her adopted child Shabana, and then we have scenes of corrupt officials or politicians plotting against Madhavi. This pattern continues until the intermission and then we have a twist that takes the film in a different direction altogether.

The first half is better than what comes next. Nothing much happens before the intermission, but at least it elaborates on the life of the protagonist and consists of occasional dramatic moments. In the second half, the film self-destructs. Loosely speaking, the screenplay approaches the story from three directions which never gel together. The first consists of the workings of a typical jail, the second features the agony of a rape victim, while the last includes a case of revenge.

For any film that makes a realistic argument about social issues, it is wiser to stick to the format for the entire running time. When Bandishala veers its focus from the jail to a rape case, it essentially abandons the issues discussed in the preintermission portion. The film now becomes a feminist thriller overburdened with clichés, melodrama and occasional bouts of unintentional humour (case in point being the character of defence lawyer Raorane). The focus never returns to the concerns established in the first half. As the jail gets almost entirely ignored in the latter part, what of the title Bandishala, which literally translates into jail? Can we read it metaphorically, ow ing to the intermittent arguments about women trapped by the society? Certainly, but even that is a worn-out cliché.

It’s never fair to blame the actors for such problems. They do as they are told and as the script demands of them. Most of them do a fair job. The film however, does not. A social issue, an important subject, a serious approach does not necessarily make a good film. It’s time we understand this.

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