Bastar: The Naxal Story REVIEW: Adah Sharma starrer is brutal and gruesome but not chest-thumping

Film:
Bastar: The Naxal Story

Director: Sudipto Sen and Vipul Amrutlal Shah

Cast: Adah Sharma Yashpal Sharma Naman Jain, Raima Sen, Shilpa Shukla, Anangsha Biswas

Runtime: 122 minutes (2h 4min)

Platform: In theatre

Adah Sharma starrer Bastar: The Naxal Story Review

‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’ featuring Adah Sharma takes viewers on a journey through the dense and frightening forests of Bastar, where the Maoists have taken over the village. The film sheds light on how the Maoists govern and their formation to overthrow national laws and establish Maoist control in the country. Alongside the Maoists’ killing spree against those who refuse to serve or join them, the movie also explores the political aspect of the situation.

The film is extremely violent and graphic, with scenes that may be difficult to watch. If you choose to watch Bastar, be prepared for some disturbing content. Adah Sharma-starrer Bastar: The Naxal Story is a heart-wrenching film that falls short in some areas.

Story

Based on the real-life incidents of Naxals in Chhattisgarh, the Bastar rebellion broke out in 1910 in Chhattisgarh. The film is centred on the Indian Maoists or radical leftists, also known as Naxals, who have taken thousands of lives, including those of civilians and army officers, and are responsible for destroying national assets in the blazing flames of communism laboratory worth trillions of dollars in around fifty years. It is a place where hoisting the national flag is a crime, and is punishable by death. Bastar – The Naxal Story is the worst epitaph of the biggest human tragedy of Independent India. As the problems in Bastar rose, Adah Sharma’s character formed a team to eradicate the Naxalites.

What’s works

Storyline: It’s interesting how Bastar – The Naxal Story sheds light on the brutal killings that happened in the village, which were largely ignored. The movie takes us on a journey through the villages, showing us how the Naxalites came to be and how they established their own rules and regulations. This unique story hasn’t been explored in Bollywood before, and it was truly an eye-opening experience to watch. 

What didn’t work

Screenplay: The movie lacks a tightly knit story that can keep you hooked throughout. Given that it is an intense movie, certain things fail to hit the bullseye and have the intended impact. Moreover, it seems like Vipul Amrutlal Shah wanted the audience to feel nationalism and patriotism, unfortunately, it doesn’t come across that way. Yes, you do feel bad to see the brutal killings but it doesn’t hit you hard and leave you shaken. 

Importance of the topics: The movie ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’ depicts how the army took action against the Maoist rulers who were committing acts of genocide in the region. However, the movie failed to explain certain important topics. It did not shed light on the reasons behind the communist movement in the country, the significance of land reforms, or the reason why the Maoists gained immense power. The movie lacked clarity on the political aspects, which were poorly conveyed and executed.

Action: As it’s a war movie, the battleground action scenes are not well executed. Some of the action scenes look flimsy, especially when they are portrayed as real-life incidents.

Climax: Usually, the climax of a movie is the highest point, completing your movie-watching experience satisfyingly. Unfortunately, the climax of ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’ was lacking and ended on an absurd note.

Star performance

Adah Sharma portrays the character of army officer Neerja, who is a strong and fearless woman. This is her second time playing a powerful character after her role in ‘The Kerala Story’. Neerja is someone who prioritizes her duty and country above all else, even when she is pregnant. Although playing an army officer requires a commanding presence, Adah’s performance lacks the impact that is expected of her. However, even though her performance is not as impressive as it should be, she still manages to deliver a fair portrayal of her character in the movie.

Indira Tiwari is sure to grab everyone’s attention after this movie. Rising from the ashes to becoming a strong soldier, she is brilliant. She doesn’t have a larger-than-life character but manages to impressive. Raima Sen brings out the same villainous mode in this movie after ‘The Vaccine War’. There was nothing extraordinary about her character or her performance. She is fine. Shilpa Shukla and Yashpal Sharma deliver strong performances and have a good hold in the story as well.

Conclusion

‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’, starring Adah Sharma in the lead, lacks substance despite being based on true events. A story with such a serious theme needs to be deep, meaningful, and informative enough to engage the audience. It is a heart-wrenching story, but the execution is poor, resulting in an unsatisfactory overall experience.

Watch the trailer of Bastar: The Naxal Story after the review

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