Bhonsle

Bhonsle

Constable Bhonsle retires from the Mumbai Police to live in a dilapidated chawl (a small apartment block for factory workers). He occasionally meets with his former superior about extending his service. An idol is shown being prepared for the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Homeless taxi driver Vilas is a foot soldier for a local political party which upholds local cultural identity, and blames migrants from North India for taking local jobs. He frequently gets into conflicts with Rajendra, who wants to lead the migrants. Vilas networks and unites influential locals to assert their identity. Bhonsle is respected in the community, but refuses to join Vilas. Sita and her teenaged brother Lalu move next door to Bhonsle. Lalu refuses to join Rajendra's gang, but one night is tricked into vandalizing the billboard of Vilas's political party. The next day Vilas is irate and Lalu is frightened. After confessing to Sita, they inform Bhonsle who warns them that he will tell the police if it happens again. A few days later, there is a grand procession for Ganesh Chaturthi which involves everyone from the chawl. Bhonsle collapses in his room from fading health. Lalu gathers their neighbours to take him to the hospital where Sita works, and she nurses him to health. She also takes care of the paperwork at his discharge, and he is given a discount on the assumption of being her family member. Bhonsle forms a bond with the siblings and helps Lalu secretly repaint the billboard.

Director

Devashish Makhija

Release

5 Oct 2018

Run time

128 min

Language

Hindi