You don’t expect much when you saunter in to see Chingari, but when you come out of the theatre, you’re pleasantly surprised by the outcome. The past decade has witnessed a number of films that have dared to expose the stark reality of our society. Though Chingari falls in the same genre, it succeeds in making a statement.
Mithun is a cruel and narcissistic priest who rules in a village.His word is law for the villagers, who have blind faith in him. He uses Sushmita Sen who is a prostitute for his sadistic pleasure to satisfy his lust. Into this world of exploitation steps an outsider, Anuj Sawhney, who is a postman, and nothing is the same anymore.He notices things that the villagers, used to years of abuse, cannot. But it is when he befriends the inhabitants of the red light area, and Sushmita and her young daughter in particular that all hell breaks lose.
Director Kalpana Lajmee has successfully portrayed the grim atmosphere of rural India. Everything appears dark, matching the mood of the plot and making your hair stand on end. Having said this, she has done full justice to the theme.The film has several spellbinding moments. And it is these moments that make you think. Deviating from the clich formula, CHINGARI is strong in content that leaves a hammer-strong impact.
Chingari belongs to Sushmita all the way. Her mannerisms and her performance match the mood of the film keeping you engrossed throughout. Without any doubt, she is the star of the film and rightly deserves it.The rest of the cast have little to showcase. They are there to support Sush as the story progresses.
Chingari is a well-crafted product which deviates from Bollywood norms.Once again, Bollywood is really advancing in its way of thinking as audiences become more demanding.