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Sherni (2021 film)

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Sherni
Official release poster
Directed byAmit V. Masurkar
Screenplay byAastha Tiku
Story byAastha Tiku
Produced byBhushan Kumar
Krishan Kumar
Vikram Malhotra
Amit V. Masurkar
StarringVidya Balan
CinematographyRakesh Haridas
Edited byDipika Karla
Music byBenedict Taylor
Production
companies
T-Series
Abundantia Entertainment
Distributed byAmazon Prime Video
Release date
  • 18 June 2021 (2021-06-18)[1]
Running time
130 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Sherni (/ʃeɪrni/ transl. Tigress) is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language thriller film directed by Amit V. Masurkar and produced by T-Series and Abundantia Entertainment.[2][3] The film stars Vidya Balan in the leading role of an Indian Forest Service officer,[4][5] alongside Sharat Saxena, Vijay Raaz, Ila Arun, Brijendra Kala, Neeraj Kabi and Mukul Chaddha in supporting roles.[6][7][8] The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 18 June 2021.[1]

The film deals with human–wildlife conflict and wildlife conservation.[9] The title of the film is a bit of a misnomer, as in Hindi sherni properly refers to a lioness, while the formal word for a tigress is baghin.[10][11][12] However the word sherni is also frequently used to refer to tigresses.[13] Sherni received positive reviews from the film critics for raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and Balan's performance.[14]

Plot

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A forest officer (Vidya) is tasked with capturing and containing a man-eating tigress in a remote village. However, she faces hostility from various sides as she tries to do her job. The MLA makes it a political issue and hires a hunter to kill the tigress so that he can use it in the next election. Vidya wants to capture the tigress instead. She and her team track the tigress pugmarks. The hunter manages to kill the tigress but can't find the cubs. The villagers find the cubs hiding under a wooden log and secretly inform Vidya. The cubs are saved.

Cast

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Music

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The film's music was composed by Bandish Projekt and Utkarsh Dhotekar while lyrics written by Hussain Haidry and Raghav.

The song "Main Sherni" was salutes and applauds the courage of women, who have stood their ground, beaten the odds and have carved their niche by not conforming to the traditional. It stars Mira Erda (F4 Racer and Driver Coach), Natasha Noel (Body positivity influencer and Yoga trainer), Eshna Kutty (a social media influencer and hula-hoop dancer) and Trinetra Haldar (one of the first transgender doctors in Karnataka), Jayshree Mane (a frontline warrior [COVID-19 healthcare worker] at B.Y.L Nair Hospital), Riddhi Arya (a student who delivers food to frontline warriors), Anita Devi (security guard), Seema Duggal (teacher), Archana Jadav (house-help) along with Vidya Balan.[15][16][17]

No.TitleLyricsMusicSingersLength
1."Main Sherni[15]"RaghavUtkarsh DhotekarAkasa Singh
Rap by: Raftaar		3:28
2."Bandar Baant"Hussain HaidryBandish ProjektAishwarya Joshi, Roshan Khan3:16

Production

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The principal photography commenced on 3 March 2020 in Madhya Pradesh.[18][19] The film was shot extensively in Bhoot Palasi in Delwadi forests, in Raisen district, Kanha National Park, besides forests in Balaghat district in the state.[20] After taking a break due to Lockdown, the shooting resumed in October 2020.[21]

Release

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The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 18 June 2021.[1]

Reception

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The film received positive reviews from the film critics, who praised Balan's performance and praised the film for raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.[14] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 100% based on 14 reviews and an average rating of 7.1/10.[22]

Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost gave Sherni a rating of 4/5 and wrote, "The environmental thriller is not a frequently visited genre in Bollywood, but Sherni forays into that territory and delivers unrelenting yet noiseless excitement in addition to food for thought all the way up to its concluding minutes".[23] Stutee Ghosh from The Quint gave Sherni a rating of 4.5/5 and stated, "Nothing is formulaic in Sherni. A woman pitchforked into unfamiliar territory, condescendingly referred to as "lady officer" doesn't respond with a diatribe against patriarchy". Praising the writing of the film and performances she further stated, "The writing and performances both are layered and profound; So much is conveyed just through silences, sometimes a strategically placed pause".[24] Sreeparna Sengupta from The Times of India gave Sherni a rating of 4/5. Calling it an intense and intriguing film she wrote, "Sherni leaves a solid impact without roaring too loud". Praising Balan's performance she further worte, "Vidya Balan gives us a remarkable, understated yet powerful performance, as she exudes the quiet determination, passion and grit of her character".[25] Sukanya Verma from Rediff gave Sherni a rating of 4/5 and wrote, "Sherni is a triumph -- a sublime outcome of purpose and storytelling falling in place".[26]

Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV gave the film a rating of 3.5/5 and wrote, "Sherni isn't just a tigress-on-the-loose adventure; It is a film of our times for the ages, a worthy follow-up to Newton". He praised the performances of Balan and the supporting actors by stating that they bring a high level of authenticity. He further wrote, "The many strands of Sherni make it the film it is. It touches upon the lopsided nature of development, the rights of forest dwellers, the dangers of a depleting forest cover, and the lust of politicians for power and pelf even as the world around threatens to come unstuck".[27] Anupama Chopra of Film Companion criticized the film for its inert screenplay and underwhelming storytelling but praised Balan's performance by stating, "The film is grounded by the gravitas and understated strength that Vidya Balan brings to Vidya Vincent; The actor lets go of her natural exuberance and works with restrained expressions; She is controlled and terrific".[28] Phuong Le from The Guardian gave the film a rating of 3/5 and wrote, "Balan excels as a resolute forest officer battling sexism and corruption, as well as nature, in the latest satirical thriller from Newton director Amit V Masurkar".[29] Bollywood Hungama gave Sherni a rating of 2/5 and wrote, "Sherni begins on a dry note and ends on an unjustified and drab note. On the whole, Sherni rests on an interesting storyline and Vidya Balan's performance but the slow and documentary-style narrative, longer runtime and bewildering climax ruins the impact".[30]

Roktim Rajpal from the Deccan Herald gave Sherni a rating of 2.5/5 and wrote, "Sherni is a sincere and thought-provoking drama that caters to those fond of realistic cinema". Criticizing the storyline and writing of the film he wrote, "The storyline does not quite reach its potential as the writing is not as good as could have been. The sequences which try to highlight the impact of the human-wildlife conflict on the 'aam aadmi' fails to make an impact as they are rushed and the subplots such as the challenges faced by women and the political rivalry haven't really been explored too well". He praised Balan's performance by stating, "Vidya is the heart and soul of Sherni and she leaves an impact with her restrained performance" but criticized the film for underutilizing its supporting characters.[31] Umesh Punwani from Koimoi gave Sherni a rating of 2.5/5 and wrote, "Sherni has a lot of things to like, but we've seen them perfected in an already superior product created by the same director. It's neither a disappointment nor lives up to the hope one could possess after knowing the film's cast & crew". Calling Balan's performance "average" he further wrote, "A bittersweet thing about being a great actor is that your average performances sharply pop up, becoming vividly evident after delivering groundbreaking roles".[32] Sushri Sahu of Mashable gave Sherni a rating of 3/5 and called it an "underwhelming film". She criticized the film for its "unflashy" screenplay but praised Balan's performance by stating, "Balan's stoic and subtle act keeps this satirical jungle drama afloat; She is shouldering the film on her talent and acting prowess".[33]

Accolades

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Award Date of the ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 20 August 2021 Best Actress Vidya Balan Won [34]
FOI Online Awards 23 January 2022 Best Feature Film Sherni Nominated [35]
Best Actress in a Leading Role Vidya Balan Nominated
Best Dialogues Yashasvi Mishra & Amit V. Masurkar Nominated
Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast Cast of Sherni Nominated
Best Film Editing Dipika Kalra Won
Best Production Design Devika Dave Nominated
Best Sound Design and Mixing Anish John, Bibin Dev & Ramesh Birajdar Nominated
67th Filmfare Awards 30 August 2022 Best Actress Vidya Balan Nominated
Best Film (Critics') Amit V. Masurkar Nominated
Best Actress (Critics') Vidya Balan Won
Best Screenplay Aastha Tikoo Nominated
Best Dialogue Amit Masurkar and Yashasvi Mishra Nominated
Best Cinematography Rakesh Haridas Nominated
Best Production Design Devika Dave Nominated
Best Sound Design Anish John Nominated
Best Editing Dipika Kalra Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Vidya Balan-starrer Sherni trailer out, film premieres on June 18". India Today. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  2. ^ "After Shakuntala Devi, Vidya Balan announces her next titled Sherni". Bollywood Hungama. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Vidya Balan's Sherni to release on Amazon Prime next month, see first look poster". Hindustan Times. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Vidya Balan to Play Righteous Forest Officer in Upcoming Movie Sherni". News 18. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Sherni First Poster Out: Vidya Balan Aces Role of Upright Forest Officer, Film To Release in June on Amazon Prime". India.com. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Vidya Balan movie Sherni to release on Amazon Prime Video in June". The Indian Express. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ "After 'Shakuntala Devi', Vidya Balan's 'Sherni' gets OTT release, new poster out". Daily News & Analysis. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Vidya Balan's Sherni to release on Amazon Prime Video in June". India Today. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Sherni: Director Amit Masurkar on man-animal conflict, conservation in India and what lies behind the satire". GQ India. 19 June 2021. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  10. ^ Jha, Prashant (16 June 2021). "Uttarakhand high court refuses to stay release of movie, 'Sherni'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Sherni Review: शोर-शराबे और हंगामे के बिना सादगी से सही जगह चोट करती है विद्या बालन की 'शेरनी', पढ़ें पूरा रिव्यू". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  12. ^ "शेरनी". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  13. ^ McGregor, R. S. (1993). "The Oxford Hindi-English dictionary". Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Sherni Review: Vidya Balan in This Amit Masurkar's Social Drama ROARS Like a Tigress, Say Critics!". ZEE5. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Vidya Balan in powerful new song Main Sherni celebrates real women". India Today. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Vidya Balan starrer 'Main Sherni' song out: Rip-roaring track that celebrates resilient stories". India TV. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Main Sherni Song: Vidya Balan Launches Powerful Women's Anthem Sung by Akasa and Raftaar". News 18. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Vidya Balan starts shooting for Sherni in the middle of a forest on World Wildlife Day". Bollywood Hungama. 3 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Vidya Balan starts shooting for Sherni in the middle of a forest on World Wildlife Day". India Today. 3 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Madhya Pradesh's natural beauty, jungles, heritage to be showcased through 'Sherni'". The Week. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Sherni director on Rajkummar Rao, Vidya Balan: 'More similarities than differences between the two'". Hindustan Times. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Sherni (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Sherni movie review: Vidya Balan buries her star persona in the lap of nature and gripping forest politics". Firstpost. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  24. ^ "Review: Vidya Balan's Brilliance Makes 'Sherni' a Must-Watch". The Quint. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Sherni Review : Sherni leaves a solid impact without roaring too loud". The Times of India. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Sherni review". Rediff.com. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Sherni Review: Vidya Balan's Tigress-On-The-Loose Adventure Bites". NDTV. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  28. ^ Chopra, Anupama (17 June 2021). "Sherni, On Prime Video, Is A Story About A Man-Eating Tiger, Where The Villains Are People". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  29. ^ "Sherni review – Vidya Balan joins the hunt for a man-eating tiger". The Guardian. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Sherni Movie Review: Sherni". Bollywood Hungama. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  31. ^ "'Sherni' movie review: Vidya Balan-starrer makes a decent impact". Deccan Herald. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Sherni Movie Review: A Lost Vidya Balan In The Jungle Reminding Of Newton's Roar!". Koimoi. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  33. ^ "'Sherni' Film Review: Vidya Balan's Stoic And Subtle Act Keeps The Man-Animal Jungle Drama Afloat". Mashable. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  34. ^ "Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2021: Vidya Balan, Suriya Win Top Honours". The Quint. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  35. ^ "7th FOI Online Awards, 2022". 15 January 2022. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
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