Soni

Soni is an excellent work of art. It's to the point representation of the reality makes it a definite watch. It's beauty lies in the two leading ladies. Both have their own persona which is quite different from each other hence they some how balances each other. The conflicted characters and their performances is brilliant. Well in addition the cinematography is good. The calm yet dark Delhi is shot very well.

"Soni" is a film that deals with gender sensitive issues. Indian cinema deals very less with this subject. The women are either glorified or shown as helpless victims in most of the popular narratives. Ivan Ayrs debut film "Soni" breaks that by staging its lead characters amidst the real world. The protagonist "Soni" a police officer in Delhi police dealing with crimes against women. A warm blooded with anger always on the tip reports to her higher official Kalpana who is completely opposite, full of calmness and capability of judgement. They are in power but still are vulnerable and have their own weakness in dealing with the world of men on either side, the criminals as well as the male police officials. This is a complex idea but executed with such clarity by Ayr. Some of the extreme sequences like handling of youths taking drugs in ladies toilet, top Navy official harassing police on duty, high school girl teased for usage of sanitary pads. These are the threads that the film deals with. "Soni" was screened at Venice in the Orizzonti Competition category.

This is an honest film. The characters portrayed are quite reasonable, life-like and not-above fault. Though Soni is the angry young women of today's age, I even as a man, see myself in her image where some people with character, strength and aggression wants to change this world. Sooner or later the reality sinks in, that this world is like a dog's tale!! Though that doesn't mean you should run away from the reality and don't do your part...Probably Soni also by the end credits realized that truth. Her senior colleague/ friend/ someone who empathize with her - Kalpana also plays a great supporting role, though at times I wished her character should have been allowed to do more...many times she remains just a wife of another senior police officer! Ivan Ayr, should have portrayed a little more depth and color to her role. Anyways great attempt to portray police life with nuance which you can barely see in bollywood over-the-top, over-dramatic and sentimental stories!!!

And IMHO - The scene depicting an issue in Kaplana's niece life could have been more strongly handled...showcasing that for such a natural thing in any woman's life, she can handle that courageously and respond to her classmates accordingly...anyways maybe director has some viewpoint which I may couldn't understand...

Overall a really good attempt.

Some topics are better explained with subtleties. "Soni" refuses to demarcate police and society. Beautifully expresses how everyone is part of the same society, even those who are supposed to protect it. And with all the reality, there is an element of hope which makes it a worthwhile watch. One of the best police stories with applaudable scenes shot in one go.

Hitting , thought provoking and realistic . Soni primarily revolves around the fearless , honest and yet in some sense - gentle lives of a police officer named soni and her boss kalpana who is very caring about her subordinates .

The movie has successfully attempted to show the lives of police officers in a city like Delhi especially the women police officers . The vulgar language , Eve teasing and the harassment that they need to listen , the unrealistic protocols that they need to follow and the pressure and injustice that the suffer from. Despite being highly sincere and motivated , the officers struggle in their system . Soni, on top of her professional struggles , also undergoes struggles in her personal life which takes a toll on everything that she does. Their lives takes them through existential crisis too. The direction , cinematography and acting of the protagonists is extremely brilliant . A few scenes were a unnecessary drag but overall quite good

Implicitly , soni also in a suttle way , talks about the hardships in the life of a women , disrespect and cliched behavior that the men show to women , and the safety of women in capital Delhi