Bastar: The Naxal Story

"Bastar: The Naxal Story" is not for the faint-hearted. Director Sudipto Sen, known for his bold storytelling, delivers yet another hard-hitting narrative in Bastar. Following the success of his previous venture, "The Kerala Story," this time Sudipto didn't deliver his best but managed to dive deep into the complex and brutal world of Maoism in the Bastar region. The film grips you with its unflinching portrayal of terrorism, nationalism, and communism.

The first half opens with a chilling sequence depicting the Maoist leader Lanka's merciless act of chopping a man into pieces for hoisting the Indian flag. This sets the tone for the relentless brutality that unfolds throughout the narrative. The use of intense visuals ensures that sensitive viewers are left disturbed. The script is taut, the dialogue delivery is sharp, and the cinematography & editing work seamlessly to create a gripping narrative. From the harrowing depiction of the 2010 massacre of 76 CRPF Jawans in Dantewada to the chilling portrayal of Indian university students celebrating the atrocity, every frame is meticulously crafted to evoke a visceral response from the audience.

It is coupled with stellar performances, particularly from Adah Sharma, who showcases remarkable growth as a performer, and Vijay Krishna, whose portrayal of the menacing Maoist leader Lanka Reddy leaves a lasting impact. Supporting performances from Shilpa Shukla, Yashpal Sharma, and Indira Tiwari further elevate the film, with each actor delivering praise-worthy performances. Indira Tiwari, in particular, shines as she effortlessly navigates through a range of emotions, showcasing her versatility as a performer.

Direction 3/5 Acting 3.5/5 Dialogues 3.5/5 Story 3.5/5 Screenplay 3/5.

Unlike the terrorism in Kashmir, the Left Wing extremism (LWE) prevalent in the Indian Heartland, especially in Chattisgarh, doesn't have the same intensity of resonance and revulsion, as it seems to be generally localised and is not, overtly driven by religion.

This film tries to educate by condensing the events of a decade in a coherent narrative, in less than 2 hours.

It was poignant for me as CG sits abutting my home state of MP and growing up, I used to read about these happenings in the dailies.

It contains, possibly, the most graphic sequence of dismemberment of the human body, that has been showcased in Indian cinema. It also reminds us of the 2013 massacre of the entire Congress state leadership in an attack on its convoy in Jheeram valley. Then there are visuals of CRPF soldiers set afire and the celebrations that this had triggered in JNU .

It succeeds because it is generally engaging as it keeps the narrative very simplistic. There are clearly demarcated good and evil characters, who are monochromatic, with no shades of grey.

There is an Arundhati Roy like figure (Raima Sen, again cast in the role of an anti Indian, after Vaccine War) whose role is a caricature of a conniving journalist, who exists at the intersection of NGOs, industrialists, anti- mining lobbies and politicians.

It fails because there are only cursory references to the rise of Naxalism and the reason why many tribals in CG embraced this violent way of retribution against Indian state.

More effort should have been invested in creating believable characters, with solid background and motivation rather than just relying on a chat GPT generated good and evil persons.

An absolute must watch film for the today's youth. It's a gut wrenching display of an ugly, violent agenda at work, smack dab in the middle of the country. Whether arts, media or educational institutions, this movie shows the depth of the rot, having been infested with their people and ideology.

Some parts of the movie are hard to watch. But they must be shown in its entirety to showcase the hardships citizens of such areas face on a daily basis. Their lives have been stolen by a cabal of maniacal people with a rabid ideology. The lead actress has again given a stellar performance, with a script worthy of her talent. This movie is dedicated to all the soldiers who have been fighting this war and have helped keep the country safe.

Great work has been done by the team. Everyone in the film have performed well.

The thrill and seriousness over really sensitive and painful topic has been maintained in the film.

What we read in news about chattisgarh and naxalites this film will give you deep dive.

The pain of the villagers and democracy has been truly depicted in the film.

Power of IPS has been truly justified by Adha character.

Great story telling and direction. Excellent script writing.

Judicial trail also support the story line and seriousness.

Also how much this problem has been rooted in the country.

How the funding and support they are getting.

Must watch movie.

Amazing cinematic film based on the true reality of naxal movement and it's horrific crimes committed against common Indians and our army which is based on political propaganda and vested interest of foreign powers that kept India backward and away from development.

I would seriously urge the young artistic generation to watch this and encourage others to do the same as this film might get banned across states for reasons known to everyone .

I also like Adal Sharma's acting , she has come a long way from 1929 and her acting skills have been getting better and better with each passing film . Her last film Kerala story was as amazing as this one and I wish her and the full team of Bastar a great box office success.