The film’s portrayal of atrocities against girls, the mother’s heartbreaking cry for her daughter, and the juxtaposition of male indifference and patriarchy with ancient, mysterious practices, all blend into a spectacle full of emotion.
Director: Vishal Furia
Star Actors: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Soha Ali Khan, Gashmeer Mahajani, Kuldeep Sareen, Saurabh Goyal
Where to watch: Prime Video
Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes
Rating: 3 stars
The original film Chhorii shows the thought-provoking and disturbing portrayal of female infanticide, balancing the depth of emotion and exciting narrative elements. However, its sequel, Chhorii 2, while maintaining the same narrative, script and impressive performance, has made the first part so impactful while providing the same level of suspense and stimulation. Despite retaining the essence of the story, the sequel cannot retake the exciting quotient, which feels a bit lacking compared to its predecessor.
The film shows a dangerous world of return and oppression of women, from the moment she enters “Khet”, which puts its protagonist Sakshi in a painful struggle to find her sun-allergic daughter Ishani. While the film flashed back to her initial turmoil, it unfortunately failed to reproduce the same level of intense and disturbing scenes, which made the last issue worth watching. The sequel’s portrayal of atrocities lacks the same internal impact, thus reducing the overall effect of the narrative.
Despite its shortcomings, the film still has excellent moments, adding another layer to the Chhorii world. The introduction of Dasi Maa, played by Soha Ali Khan, brings new dimensions to the story, and despite overall inconsistencies, the fortress is being held and the film is elevated. The existence of her character adds depth and complexity, making her a compelling aspect of the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4vvkwtw3x4
The film’s portrayal of atrocities against girls, the mother’s heartbreaking cry for her daughter, and the juxtaposition of male indifference and patriarchy with ancient, mysterious practices, all blend into a spectacle full of emotion. However, sometimes the narrative is fascinating, and the effort to maintain control over the audience’s emotions makes the overall experience somewhat unbalanced.
Some exciting scenes include the intense sequence of Nushrratt Bharuccha, where she falls and teams up with other women to shoot down Rajbir (Saurabh Goyal), providing an exciting and inspiring moment. Symbolism is also worth noting, especially when Little Ishani listens to folklore and witnesses the abuse of her Dasi Maa, highlights the dark reality of child marriage, early pregnancy, and forces menstruation with sensitivity and influence.
The scripts and scripts by Vishal Furia and Ajit Jagtap effectively produce tensions, especially in the disturbing scenes and stinging chase, Sakshi (Nushrratt) frantically searches for Ishani (Hardika). The climax is a superb fusion of troubling and fascinating elements that keep the audience on the edge of the seat, which is what the so-called “Pratha” really means and the world. Anshul Chobey’s photography adds depth to the narrative, although the editing can be more refined.
Soha Ali Khan plays an excellent portrayal of the character and is impressive in regional dialects. Nushrratt Bharuccha meets expectations with her intense and nuanced performance, especially in scenes that ask her to convey distress, fear and pain. Children’s artist Hardika Sharma shines with Ishani, bringing a pleasant presence on the screen. Auxiliary actors Samar, including Gashmeer Mahajani, Kuldeep Sareen for Tauji and Saurabh Goyal as Rajbir, add depth and complexity to the narrative. Missed Mita Vashisht as her character portrayal in the first film brings a unique and organic dimension to the story, the sequel is clearly not present in the sequel.
The film’s sparse dialogue, powerful scripts and dark creepy scenes have caused comparisons to the acclaimed film Tumbbad, but it’s not bad. The similarities highlight the effective storytelling and superb tensions that Tumbbad is famous for, and the film succeeds in fitting into an equally disturbing and troubled nature.
In short, Chhorii 2’s dark narrative intensifies, but it doesn’t capture the same exciting nature as the original. Still, the film addresses important topics and conveys a powerful message that makes it a commendable effort.
