Sherni (Movie)

Available – Amazon Prime

Time – 2hrs 10 mins

Age – 13+

Genre – Drama

Recommendation – Definitely watch

Watched Sherni last night. It was a walk down the memory lane. The thick forest, the unpaved rutted roads, the people, the cattle, the forest rest-houses and the issues. I remember my father telling me once, that it was humans who had encroached his land and then provided him with an easy meal, so how could we blame the tiger.

My father was in the Indian Forest Services and retired as the PCCF. While he did not talk much about his work, we did hear him on occasions talking to his juniors about various issues. Watching Sherni reminded me of those talks. One of the biggest concerns that I remember over hearing, apart from poaching was the conflict between man, his ever-growing needs and the forest that abutted these settlements.

The movie captures that conflict so well. Vidya Balan as DFO Vidya Vincent is caught between apathetic seniors, greedy politicians, fame hungry hunters and the angry local villagers. And, all she wants to do is capture the man-eating tigress and relocate her and her cubs to the national forest safely.

But the blood thirsty villagers, are easily manipulated by the power-hungry politicians. Then the issue turns from man-animal conflict to man-man conflict and the unfortunate victim is the tiger caught between the warring humans.

Vidya Balan and Vijay Raaz are just great. There is no sugar coating of the issues and the end is realistic too. Though the movie is tad bit slow; the run time could have been reduced.

For something as precious as forests, that are our life givers, and the people who protect them with passion and sometimes their life, there sure are very few movies made.

Watch this movie to understand how difficult it is to be posted is such places and to work under such circumstances and the courage these forest officers show to do the right thing.

Today, is baba’s 9^th death anniversary and in a way, it was beautiful to watch the movie and remember those good old days and, in some ways, so painful that neither that life nor the person who gave me that life is here today.

Lead Image Courtesy – onmanorama