There used to be a time when the Daku movie was a staple in Bollywood. Right from the 40s, with Mehboob Khan’s Aurat (which he remade as Mother India), into the 60s with Dilip saab’s Gunga Jumna, it was the 70s when the genre hit its peak with blockbusters like Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Khote Sikkey and of course, the baap of them all, Sholay!
But while the genre flourished right up till the late 80s (Mardon Wali Baat, Aag Hi Aag), the resurgence of the family film through directors like Sooraj Barjatya, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra led to daku movies being slowly relegated to B-grade cinema in the 90s, and relative obscurity in the 00s, what with a more urban brand of cinema coming in, save for the Paan Singh Tomar biopic, or the brilliant Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru from 2 years back.
Therefore, when the promos of Sonchiriya showed up with an ensemble cast and a brilliant soundtrack, the only thought that entered one’s mind was if this was going to be a throwback to old school Daku dramas, or would it be a more contemporary take on the lives of dacoits?Continue reading “Sonchiriya Movie Review: Dakus in the Dust”
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