Bastar: The Naxal Story Movie Review
2.5 /Five
The protagonist of the story is Neerja Madhavan (Ada Sharma), a serious police officer who holds a high rank in the CRPF and is tasked with stopping the Naxal insurgency. The film begins in a courtroom where the government and Naxal representatives are fighting in court. Neerja uses special police officers (SPOs) and a government-backed group called Salwa Judum to thwart Naxalites in Chhattisgarh. At the same time, it also follows the story of Ratna (Indira Tiwari), a tribal woman whose husband was brutally murdered by a famous Naxalite named Lanka Reddy. Seeking her revenge, Ratna joins the police force and helps Neerja in his mission.
Bastar: The Naxal Story provides a one-dimensional perspective on the complex issue of Naxalism, presenting them simply as anti-national elements without delving into the complexity of the issue. The film falls short in providing a nuanced understanding, as it depicts all leftist ideology and liberal politics as inherently anti-national, and ignores the diversity of perspectives within these realms. is. Moreover, the depiction of intellectuals and journalists as collaborators undermining national integrity lacks depth and fails to explore the multifaceted roles these people play in society. The group criticizes universities such as JNU (though it is not named as such), saying they are dens of anti-nationalists. It also hints that a political party with a Gandhian ideological base is harmful to the welfare of the people and supports terrorism through Naxals. The film compares the Maoist insurgency to groups such as the Islamic State and Boko Haram. It also suggests links between leaders of the Naxal movement and organizations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and communist groups in the Philippines.
The narrative also attempts to attribute the improvement in the situation since 2010 to the efforts of the current government. This oversimplification ignores the contributions and challenges faced by various stakeholders in addressing the Naxal problem. Additionally, the film overuses graphic scenes, such as the initial beheading scene, which may be alienating to some viewers. Although such depictions serve to emphasize the seriousness of the violence associated with Naxalism, their baseless nature risks overshadowing the film’s underlying message.
The dedicated police officer played by Adah Sharma is well within the scope of the script. Sometimes the sound gets too loud. Overall, Bastar: The Naxal Story falls short in providing a balanced and nuanced portrayal of its subject matter, instead resorting to sensationalism that fails to capture the complexity of the issue at hand. Selecting a story.
(Tag Translation)Bastar: The Naxal Story Movie Review
