A mixed bag of things that work and those that don’t, Bhakshak means well. It brings to the screen a shocking true story but does not resort to any manner of sensationalism. It builds its case slowly and steadily without ever getting ahead of itself.
Centred on inmates of a shelter home who are subjected to atrocities by the very people tasked with protecting them, Bhakshak abjures massy methods to get its point across. With so much going for it, why does the film not pack a heftier punch?
It is certainly not for want of trying on the part of lead actress Bhumi Pednekar. She revels in the role of a careworn but doughty Patna journalist committed to the ethics of her profession. But there is something missing in Bhakshak that she cannot paper over no matter how hard she tries.
Directed by Pulkit and written by him with Jyotsana Nath, Bhakshak is way too bland for a hard-hitting story inspired by reality. The film says the right things. Parts, just stray parts, of it are on point. It does not, however, break any new ground nor is it able to formulate an deliver its undeniably urgent message with the requisite force.
The appalling state of affairs in a shelter for girls in Munawwarpur, Bihar – a fictional town that stands in for Muzaffarpur, which, a few years ago, was rocked by revelations of sexual abuse in a home run by an NGO – should have left us squirming in discomfort. It barely does. Nor does the dark truths that it ‘unearths’ send us reeling
Bhakshak lacks genuine tension and energy for the most part primarily because its understated directorial style isn’t sufficiently backed up with touches that could be deemed cinematically noteworthy. Its heart is in the right place. Its tools …read more
Disclaimer : This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by FilmyFriday. Source:: NDTV.com
