Sonchiriya (transl. The golden bird; Hindi pronunciation: [soːntʃɪɽɪjaː]; ISO: Sōnaciṛiyā ) is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language action film[6][7][8] co-written and directed by Abhishek Chaubey and starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey and Ashutosh Rana. The film presents a rooted tale set in Chambal.[9][10] Its dialogues are entirely in the Bundeli dialect.[11]
| Sonchiriya | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Abhishek Chaubey |
| Screenplay by | Sudip Sharma |
| Story by | Abhishek Chaubey Sudip Sharma |
| Produced by | Ronnie Screwvala |
| Starring | Sushant Singh Rajput Bhumi Pednekar Manoj Bajpayee Ranvir Shorey Ashutosh Rana |
| Cinematography | Anuj Rakesh Dhawan |
| Edited by | Meghna Sen |
| Music by | Vishal Bhardwaj |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | RSVP Movies |
Release date | |
Running time | 143 minutes[3] |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Hindi Bundeli |
| Budget | ₹22 crore[4] |
| Box office | est. ₹10.42 crore[5] |
The film was released on 1 March 2019 in 940 screens worldwide, with 720 screens in India and 220 in overseas regions.[12] The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, direction, writing, cinematography and visual style.
Plot
Set in the ravines of the Chambal valley, the film tells the tale of dacoits in 1975, who termed themselves Baaghis, the rebels.
Lacchu gives information to the Baaghis that a dowry of tons of gold and cash will be given to the bride by her father so Dacoit Maan Singh a.k.a 'Dadda' should raid it. Special Task Force (STF) headed by Inspector Virendra Singh Gujjar attacks them during the loot in which Dadda gets killed. This leads to a split between the gang. Lakhna wants to surrender to the police, while Vakil Singh wants to follow Baaghi's dharm (way of life) of rebellion.
On the run, they meet Thakur's wife Indumati Tomar with a girl named Sonchiriya a.k.a 'Lalli' whom Indumati's family head had raped. Indumati had killed him to save Sonchiriya and ran away to rescue her and take her to hospital. Indumati's whole family wants to have her killed. She pleads with Baaghis to help her take Sonchiriya to the hospital. Baaghis agree.
Indumati's family arrives and tries to take away Khushi with them. At the same time, Vakil Singh agrees to let her go. Lakhna revolts and disagrees. In this melee, Indumati's own child accidentally kills Vakil's brother. Lakhna and the team, along with Indumati and Sonchiriya, escape and Vakil Singh vows to hunt them down and kill them all. It is revealed that Maan Singh looted the dowry house to save Lacchu's father from inspector Gujjar knowing very well that it was a trap to kill them. Gujjar had taken him hostage and promised to free him only if Lacchu brings Baaghis to that village for the police to kill all Baaghis at once and get the reward from the government.
Midway to the hospital, Lakhna tells Indumati a background story about a curse of killing innocent children inside a room by mistake which led to the Baaghis' whole group being killed one by one. They need to find Sonchiriya (a metaphor for a 'Saviour Girl') to get rid of the curse. Baaghis meet Dacoit Phuilya, and she joins Lakhna to save the girl and take them to Dholpur Hospital. They are joined again by Vakil Singh and the gang in the task. Vakil says, "to ward off the curse we need to save this girl from death. It is a chance to repent, this girl is "our Sonchiraiya, our saviour". Indumati's son wants to kill his mother, but Lakhna confronts and tells the truth that his grandfather was his biological father. Lakhna and Indumati make it to the hospital.
While the girl is being hospitalized, Lakhna, who, being chased by Gujjar, was hiding behind the tree, comes out to surrender as his task of saving Sonchiriya was finished. But by the curse, Lakhna is shot dead by Gujjar.
In the aftermath, it is revealed that Vakil Singh has actually been killed by the police at the railway station, as his corpse is loaded in a tractor. Later, while traveling towards the police station after killing Lakhna, Gujjar is shot and killed by one of his Thakur constable whose uncle (another constable with him in his gypsy) was earlier assaulted and insulted by him.
Cast
- Sushant Singh Rajput as Lakhan "Lakhna" Singh
- Bhumi Pednekar as Indumati Tomar
- Manoj Bajpayee as Man Singh
- Ranvir Shorey as Vakil Singh
- Ashutosh Rana as Virendra Singh Gujjar
- Lankesh Bhardwaj as Inspector Fort
- Khushiya as Sonchiriya
- Wolf Rajput as Veer
- Jaspal Sharma as Lachchu
- Gagan Dev Riar as Khalifa
- Ram Naresh Diwakar as Natthi
- Mahesh Balraj as Bhoora
- Mukesh Gour as Sheetla
- Harish Khanna as Kok Singh
- Shridhar Dubey as Badlu Songh
- Abhimanyu Arun as Balak Ram
- Sampa Mandal as Phuliya
- Satya Ranjan as Veera
- V K Sharma as Pujari at temple.
.Vijay Kumar Dogra as Dr. Bhadauria
Production
The principal photography for the film began on 19 January 2018 in Chambal.[13][14] On 1 April 2018, the shoot was wrapped up.[15]
Soundtrack
| Sonchiriya | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |||||
| Released | 20 February 2019[16] | ||||
| Recorded | 2018 | ||||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | ||||
| Length | 30:17 | ||||
| Language | Hindi | ||||
| Label | Zee Music Company | ||||
| Vishal Bhardwaj chronology | |||||
| |||||
| |||||
The music of the film has been composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, while the lyrics have been written by Varun Grover except one song, "Naina Na Maar" (lyrics by Ashok Mizaj Badr).
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Baaghi Re" | Mame Khan | 4:42 |
| 2. | "Sonchiraiya" | Rekha Bhardwaj | 5:08 |
| 3. | "Ruan Ruan" | Arijit Singh | 3:41 |
| 4. | "Naina Na Maar" | Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Bhardwaj | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Saanp Khavega" | Sukhwinder Singh | 4:01 |
| 6. | "Sonchiraiya" (Reprise) | Rekha Bhardwaj | 4:59 |
| 7. | "Baaghi Re" (Remix) | Mame Khan | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 30:17 | ||
Release
The film was released on 1 March 2019.[17] Unlike Udta Punjab, Abhishek Chaubey has a smooth ride with Sonchiriya as CBFC retains most of the abuses.[18] British Board of Film Classification has certified the film with runtime of 143 minutes and the film is set for release.[3] The film was released on 1 March 2019 to 720 screens in India and 220 screens in overseas circuit, making it 940 screens worldwide.[12] The leading actor Sushant Singh Rajput was disappointed that many theaters used unofficial dubbed version of the movie.[19][20]
Reception
Critical response
As per Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of 80% based on 10 reviews with an average rating of 6.8/10.[21] Raja Sen reviewing the film in Hindustan Times rated the film with three stars out of five. He liked the lead cast in role of bandits but feels that the slow pace kept the film from becoming a great film.[22] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it three and half stars out of five and praising the acting of the whole cast he says "Cast Live And Breathe Their Roles".[23] Renuka Vyavahare writing for The Times of India gave three and half stars out of five and writes "Gripping, tense and unpredictable, despite being a slow-burn western, Chaubey's period thriller makes for a riveting watch."[24] Taran Adarsh giving three and half stars out of five feels that it is a very well-made film but caters to a niche audience.[25] Anupama Chopra of Film Companion gives three stars out of five and summarize the review as "A Stunningly Shot, Masterfully Staged Fusion Of Caste, Violence And Jungle Law."[26] Akash Deshpande of High on Films wrote "Sonchiriya is a mix of a thriller and black comedy with the aesthetics of spaghetti western."[27]
Accolades
| Award[a] | Date of ceremony[b] | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filmfare Awards | 15 February 2020 | Best Film (Critics) | Abhishek Chaubey [c] | Won | [28] [29] [30] [31] |
| Best Actress (Critics) | Bhumi Pednekar | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ranvir Shorey | ||||
| Best Story | Abhishek Chaubey and Sudip Sharma | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Sudip Sharma | ||||
| Best Dialogue | |||||
| Best Cinematography | Anuj Rakesh Dhawan | ||||
| Best Production Design | Rita Ghosh | ||||
| Best Sound Design | Kunal Sharma | ||||
| Best Action | Anton Moon and Sunil Rodrigues | ||||
| Best Costume Design | Divya Gambhir and Nidhi Gambhir | Won | |||
| FOI Online Awards | 11 February 2020 | Best Feature Film | Ronnie Screwvala | Nominated | [32] |
| Best Director | Abhishek Chaubey | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Sushant Singh Rajput | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ranvir Shorey | Won | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | Sudip Sharma & Abhishek Chaubey | Nominated | |||
| Best Dialogues | Sudip Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast | Cast of Sonchiriya | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Anuj Rakesh Dhawan | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Meghna Sen | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound Design | Kunal Sharma & Anil Radhakrishnan | Nominated | |||
| Best Background Score | Benedict Taylor & Naren Chandavarkar | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Direction | Vishal Bhardwaj | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Song | Vishal Bhardwaj & Varun Grover for "Ruan Ruan" | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Varun Grover for "Ruan Ruan" | Nominated | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Rekha Bhardwaj for "Ruan Ruan" | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Rita Gosh | Nominated | |||
| Best Makeup & Hairstyling | Shrikant Desai | Won | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Vishal Kapoor (Prime Focus Ltd) | Nominated | |||
| Best Action Direction | Anton Moon & Sunil Rodrigues | Nominated | |||
| Special Jury Mention | Bhumi Pednekar | Won | |||
| Mirchi Music Awards | 19 February 2020 | Best Background Score | Benedict Taylor & Naren Chandavarkar | Nominated | [33] |
Notes
- ^ Awards, festivals and organizations are in Alphabetical order.
- ^ Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
- ^ Tied with Anubhav Sinha for Article 15.
References
- ^ "Lt.Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar's Sonchiriya pushed to 1 March, will now clash with Lukka Chuppi". Firstpost. 22 January 2019.
- ^ Taran Adarsh [@taran_adarsh] (22 January 2019). "#SonChiriya gets a new release date: 1 March 2019.. Stars Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey and Ashutosh Rana... Directed by Abhishek Chaubey... Produced by Ronnie Screwvala. https://t.co/iabUjMsNTm" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "SONCHIRIYA (2019)| British Board of Film Classification". bbfc.co.uk. 19 February 2019.
- ^ "1st Week Box Office Report – Kartik Aaryan's Luka Chuppi Crosses 50 Crores, Sushant Singh Rajput's Sonchiriya Is A Disaster". Yahoo! News. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood. "Sonchiriya Box Office Collection till Now | Box Collection – Bollywood Hungama". Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Director Abhishek Chaubey: Sonchiriya is an Action Film with a Difference". News18.
Primarily action films are plot-heavy and the plot is usually centred around an object which the characters of the film are trying to get at. This film is also a plot-heavy action film, but it is more about the soul of a man.
- ^ "Son Chiriya first poster: Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar take us to Chambal, see pic". Hindustan Times. 7 December 2018.
- ^ "Localities of Chambal gathered on the sets of Sonchiriya after this scene!". Mid-Day. 16 February 2019.
- ^ "'Son Chiriya': Check out Bhumi Pednekar's menacing avatar in Abhishek Chaubey's dacoit drama – Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ "Bhumi Pednekar is Badass Dacoit in First Look of Son Chiriya". Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood (5 March 2019). "Sonchiriya unofficially dubbed, director refuses to compromise on language : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama".
- ^ a b Taran Adarsh [@taran_adarsh] (1 March 2019). "#SonChiriya screen count... India: 720 Overseas: 220 Worldwide total: 940 screens" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "टायलेट एक प्रेम कथा के बाद चंबल पहुंची अक्षय की ऑनस्क्रीन पत्नी, अब 'धोनी' संग पारी शुरू- Amarujala". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Principal Shoot of Sonchiriya Begins – Movie Alles". Movie Alles. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar wrap up shoot for Abhishek Chaubey's Son Chiriya- Entertainment News, Firstpost". Firstpost. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Sonchiriya – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". JioSaavn.
- ^ Box Office Trendz [@box_trendz] (17 February 2019). "All set for 1 March 2019 release... New poster of #SonChiriya... Stars #SushantSinghRajput, #BhumiPednekar, #ManojBajpayee, #RanvirShorey and #AshutoshRana. Directed by #AbhishekChaubey... Produced by #RonnieScrewvala" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Unlike Udta Punjab, Abhishek Chaubey has a smooth ride with Sonchiriya as CBFC retains most of the abuses – Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ Rajput, Sushant Singh (3 March 2019). "Dear ALL, PLease Read This. Yours sincerely, Sushant Singh Rajput pic.twitter.com/H6nX2mwcmg". @itsSSR. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ "Sushant Singh Rajput's 'Sonchiriya' dubbed 'without permission', actor says he'll escalate matter". Daily News and Analysis. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Sonchiraiya (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ Sen, Raja. "Sonchiriya movie review: Sushant Singh Rajput and Ranvir Shorey are brilliant as bandits". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ "Sonchiriya Movie Review: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee And Cast Live And Breathe Their Roles". NDTV. 1 March 2019.
- ^ Vyavahare, Renuka. "SONCHIRIYA MOVIE REVIEW". Times of India. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ Taran Adarsh [@taran_adarsh] (1 March 2019). "#OneWordReview…#SonChiriya: GRIPPING! Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️½ Very well-made film that caters to a niche audience... You need to have a strong stomach to absorb #SonChiriya... Violent, disturbing, shocking, with a horrifying twist... Fantastic performances by all. #SonChiriyaReview https://t.co/umlq3pG1LI" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Chopra, Anupama. "Sonchiriya Movie Review". Film Companion. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ Sonchiriya (2019) - An Existential Dacoit Drama. highonfilms.com.
- ^ "Nominations for 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards 2020". Filmfare. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Winners for 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards 2020". Filmfare. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Technical Nominations for the 65th Amazon Filmfare Awards 2020". Filmfare. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "65th Amazon Filmfare Award 2020 Technical and Short Film award winners". Filmfare. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "5th FOI Online Awards, 2020".
{{cite news}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ "Nominations for the 12th Smule Mirchi Music Awards 2020". Mirchi Music Awards. Retrieved 12 July 2020.