Gritty Chambal drama, strong cast, let down by uneven script.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Sonchiriya is mixed-to-positive, with most reviewers acknowledging Abhishek Chaubey's assured direction and the film's atmospheric authenticity, particularly its use of the Bundelkhandi dialect and Chambal landscape. Performances drew specific praise, and several critics found the film gripping and thematically ambitious in its exploration of caste, gender, and redemption. Common criticisms include an uneven script described as heavy-handed, a half-hearted integration of Phoolan Devi's story, and a failure to fully deliver on either its western-style action or its social commentary. A few reviewers also noted the film's limited mainstream appeal and slow pacing.
2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 9 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Sonchiriya tries to blend Spaghetti Western style-action drama with social commentary but it isn't entirely satisfying on either count. You might also struggle with the language – Bundelkhandi – and it will help to see it with subtitles.
Top critic
Film review ·
Sonchiriya claims to be about a band of outlaws in wild search of a golden bird — but that bird may just be a goose. The film skims topics of caste, gender, religion and politics, and proves to be a film about the desperation to belong to something larger than oneself, the all-consuming desire to believe in something. Even birds of prey need to pray.
Top critic
Film review ·
Abhishek Chaubey's very scenic Sonchiriya, tramping along those nooks and crevices of the Chambal, expending hundreds of bullets and quarts of spraying blood, made familiar by countless 'daaku' films of the 70s and 80s, almost always feels like a retread.
Film review ·
Anchored by terrific performances by its star-ensemble, Chaubey brings his assured directorial mind to an eerily beautiful film.
Film review ·
Director Abhishek Chaubey (Ishqiya, Udta Punjab) glides us into the harsh lifestyle of bandits or rebels as they like to call themselves. They speak of their difficulties in as many words but can't leave this life because they have never known anything better. It's cruel, pointless and vengeful. Everything is personal and nothing is personal.
Film review ·
Gripping, tense and unpredictable, despite being a slow-burn western, Chaubey's period thriller makes for a riveting watch. It manages to engage, suspect, shock and transport you to a world where people yearn for salvation over survival.
Film review ·
It's unlikely that those in the cities will identify with this offering. But yes, if you're a curious cinema fiend, Sonchiriya will entice you.
Film review ·
Director Chaubey tries to get into the dynamics of the group and their equations with each other, but his and Sudip Sharma's script is too heavy-handed. Sometimes, it is farcical and suddenly gives way to an emotional scene. There is a half-hearted attempt to weave in real-life bandit Phoolan Devi's story, but that falls flat. The film's dialogue is entirely in the Bundelkhandi dialect, which lends authenticity to the proceedings.
Film review ·
Sonchiriya is a rare bird, the metaphorical redemption that everyone is seeking. Apni apni Sonchiriya, apni apni mukti. It's ultimately a journey towards finding your own bird of salvation.
From our readers
2 ratings · user score 6.0
Abhishek Chaubhey's Sonchiriya (Golden Bird) is a deeply distressing chronicle of the rebels of Chambal, Madhya Pradesh and their activities that defy local law enforcement in the most bloodiest way possible that brings various issues involving caste, politics, personal vendetta, and gender discrimination with much rawness albeit with a tiring frame that can put you off countless times in its 150-minute running time.
The sky is bleached of all the hues in 'Sonchiriya', which, very specifically, is a bloody Abhishek Chaubey film. By an Abhishek Chaubey film, I mean a sincere ensemble of performances foiling the most insignificant of the bumps in storytelling. No, seriously! We have seen him tickling our funny bone with Naseeruddin-Arshad-Vidya starrer 'Ishqiya', doubling the woman power with Naseer, Arshad and Madhuri Dixit and Huma. In 'Udta Punjab', he elevated the talent with Diljeet, Shahid, Alia and Kareena. But this time, he transcends the boundaries of a talented star-craft, with Bhumi Pednekar, Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey and Ashutosh Rana taking leads and playing dacoits-in-distress, India, 1975. Chambal burns in the fire of Indira Gandhi's emergency, and after seven years of 'Paan Singh Tomar' we have another spirited, finely delved in story of daakus and their reason for killing. We are not specifically introduced to the characters, they practically present them. 'Sonchiriya' is a must watch because nothing's more enticing than a Bollywood people speaking in rustic language of badlands. Well, even Gangs of Wasseypur was well-versed in language. But what makes it special is the qualified approach, this one uses practically 1% Hindi. Chaubey diligently uses his casting choice to every limitless quotient, and has well-made a drama about humans, not butchers as they seem. This is a prapt from the daaku dramas we've seen in Bollywood. It also celebrates them, in a quiet way.
Credits
Sushant Singh Rajput
Bhumi Pednekar
Ashutosh Rana
Ranvir Shorey
Manoj Bajpayee
Mahesh Balraj
Jatin Sarna
Abhishek Chaubey
Ronnie Screwvala
Vishal Bhardwaj
Amit Sial
Manjot Singh
Suhail Nayyar
Shahbaz Khan
Anshuman Jha
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