A story that must be told|Feb. 08, 2024|India|134 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bollywood;Crime;Drama
Description: **Bhakshak 2024: An Overview**
**Storyline:**
From the very first scene, it’s clear that “Bhakshak” is not an easy film to watch. It is dark, unsettling, and heartbreaking, often leaving viewers with a lump in their throats. Inspired by true events, this film featuring Bhumi Pednekar provides a harrowing glimpse into the grim realities of a girls’ shelter home, revealing the painful truths hidden behind closed doors.
Directed by Pulkit, the film avoids gratuitous gore to make its point. Instead, it relies on gut-wrenching scenes and dialogue that highlight the severity of the crimes depicted. Co-written by Pulkit and Jyotsana Nath, the narrative follows investigative journalist Vaishali Singh (played by Bhumi Pednekar) in Patna, who goes to great lengths to reveal a horrific crime occurring within a girls’ shelter home in the small town of Munnawarpur, Bihar.
As she digs deeper into her investigation, Vaishali uncovers shocking information about Bansi Sahu (Aditya Srivastava), the shelter’s owner, who orchestrates the abuse alongside his accomplices. Despite facing pushback from authorities and discouragement from others, Vaishali remains undeterred in her mission. She navigates numerous obstacles—from police to child welfare agents—yet her determination never wavers, and she presses on until she exposes the truth.
Stories inspired by real events can be tricky, as filmmakers often take liberties that backfire. Fortunately, “Bhakshak” avoids such pitfalls and maintains a sense of realism. The film portrays the dire conditions within the shelter that invoke pity, the cruel treatment of girls that incites anger, and the journalist’s struggle that evokes a feeling of helplessness. It sheds light on how such atrocities often remain concealed and frequently go unreported in smaller towns.
Cast director: Vinay Gupta
Cast actor: Bhumi Pednekar, Sanjay Mishra, Aditya Srivastava, Sai Tamhankar, Surya Sharma, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Durgesh Kumar, Satyakam Anand, Tanisha Mehta, Vibha Chibber
Original name: भक्षक