User reviews

A female journalist uncovers the syndicate involved in the child abuse going on in a small orphanage located somewhere in Bihar. Sounds like Spotlight (2015), but on a serious note it's way more than that.

Bhumi Pednekar or I should say Anshuman Khurana of female actresses gives a riveting performance in this film filled with too many critically acclaimed figures. Needless to say Sanjay Mishra & Aditya Srivastav aka Abhijeet from CID are equally responsible in making this film an intense crime thriller with lots of thought provoking instances.

Never heard of the director though. Pulkit has hit the bulls eye with this project & will surely have me in queue for his next.

PS: Tagged by Netflix "Spotlight meets Khakkee", I would rather say "Spotlight with Wasseypur cast".

Bhakshak, is streaming on Netflix and stars Bhumi Pednekar as a local journalist on a quest for justice against child abuse. The film boasts great performances and a potent, relevant message, but feels derivative and unoriginal in its execution.

Let's start with the positives. There are multiple stomach-churning sequences of child abuse throughout the film that successfully evoke feelings of disgust towards the vile, twisted villains. In particular, the display of sheer brutality during the opening sequence made my blood boil. All these elements culminate in a sense of satisfaction when justice is served in the final moments of the film.

The entire cast delivers top-notch performances. Bhumi Pednekar continues to show her versatility as an actor, Sanjay Mishra is a welcome comedic relief and Aditya Srivastava is the embodiment of true evil as the film's primary antagonist.

The primary shortcomings of the film lie in the overly preachy script that isn't as nuanced as the film requires it to be, and is fixated on reciting its underlying themes. Multiple scenes involve characters saying "Yahi to problem hai samaj mein....". The film's impact would have been greater had its message been delivered with more subtlety.

The motivations of characters in the film are also not quite clear. Certain character have abrupt changes of heart throughout the film that do not make much sense and merely serve to advance the plot.

Overall, Bhakshak is a well-acted film with a pertinent themes and is certainly recommended for your watchlist, but is not without its fair share of flaws.

Pulkit is a director of a different genre, we can understand by watching his "Bose: Death/Alive". He is a very brave director. In this film too, he showed that deadly brave direction.

He tried to find solutions to the burning problems in several parts of India. The director shook the society and the Indian system very hard.

The best part of the movie is the content and the script. Bhumi pednekar and Sanjay Mishra's acting has taken the movie to perfection. But streaming the movie was possible.

I highly recommend everyone to watch this movie based on the exploitation of poor and helpless girls.

I don't watch Hindi movies much. They are all masala, macho, mumbo jumbo nonsense. I liked Bhakshak movie. The acting is decent, the direction is done well and the story is strong enough to grip your attention.

The story however is heart wrenching. It's not easy to watch the plight of the girls. Though it's a fictional story it makes you wonder if there are places like this in our country where children are suffering. I like the social message of this movie. I strongly think journalism is dead in our country compared to the west. I hope aspiring children of our future will give this field the respect it deserves.

I would vote to see more movies like this.

With the recent leave your brains at home escapism Hindi movies breaking box office records by mostly glorifying violence, sadomasochism and misogyny, I felt that we are heading back to the stone age times on sonic the hedgehog or flash gordon breakneck pace with no much scope now for any kind of mind progression, empathy or human compasion.

Thats why seeing this movie Bhakshak (Predator) felt like there is still a ray of hope for compasion and social awareness for mankind.

It's a movie well made that is difficult to watch for sure but it is necessary similar to the movie Gargi it stays with you long after you have finished watching it.

Kudos to the entire team and production house backing this project so that more movies on social awareness, helping mankind, being the change are made. These type are definitely not the leave your brains at home and watch stuff but they certainly are the use your brains and compasion and work towards being the chnage type movies.

This is one among the many movies on investigative journalism of social ills .It shows how hapless girls in a shelter home in Bihar are subjected to molestation and assault by cruel males both within the organisation and outside it. It is upto a brave and dedicated journalist Vaishali Singh ( Bhumi Pednekar ) to investigate the issue at the peril of her life and those of her relatives. Very naturally her husband/ relatives do not encourage her in her mission considering it unnecessary, foolhardy and dangerous. She however carries on with grit and determination with the help of her associate/ cameraperson Bhaskar Sinha( Sanjay Mishra).

The movie is definitely gripping with an inspired performance by Bhumi Pednekar as the lady journalist overcoming all odds through sheer grit to expose the perpetrators of child abuse and bring them to justice. She gets the support of the local police chief in her crusade. Sanjay Mishra is good as usual as her associate giving her moral support too.

Director Pulkit presents a taut narrative and some sequences have a raw intensity which is disturbing but then the subject probably demanded this degree of frankness in order to send the message across. As the ruthless oppressor Bansi babu, Aditya Srivastav of CID fame puts in a chilling performance. He has no remorse for his cruel actions. As the helpful police chief, Sai Tamhankar puts in a spirited performance.

I've never liked any Hindi movie that much. The thing which I liked here is the acting of Bhumi and other casts as well. This movie shows us the mirror of today's society. How we are confined to our family. We don't care what bad is happening around us.

To make a better society, we need to do an effort. It might be insignificant but it will eventually bring us together and illuminate a ray of hope.

This movie is more than Just a movie. This movie contains a strong social message. Recommended everyone to see once.

It teaches us what is humanity. We are the part of the society, so don't be the three monkeys of Gandhi who everytime closes their eyes, mouth and ears in order to ignore the stuffs happening around us.

Positive: The dialogues pack a powerful punch, delivering a strong message for society. Viewers can take away valuable lessons for their daily lives. The negative characters are portrayed excellently, with special commendation to Red Chillies for presenting such impactful content. The director has executed their role effectively, and Sanjay Mishra delivers a solid performance as always. Overall, it's a must-watch movie.

Negative: Unfortunately, the acting, particularly by the lead actress Bhumi, falls short and feels mismatched for the roles. Her performance comes across as dull and doesn't meet expectations. Additionally, the emotional aspect of the movie lacks depth, failing to connect with the audience as effectively as movies like Article 15 by Anubhav Sinha.

The film has done an excellent job of baring the hard reality faced by the Indian society of human trafficking and child abuse. Bollywood should produce more films of this sort that encourage, awaken and bring awareness among wider audience. India needs more true and daring journalists, strong leadership in police administration as well as a democratic voice against crime.

Excellent role play by every character in the film who gave their best and have done justice to their roles. I may have watched hundreds of Bollywood films but this is one of a handful I feel pressed to promote and write a review. Thank you for making this film and look forward to more reality than drama.

Bhumi Pednekar has proven herself to be one of the most consistent performers of this generation, along with the Taapsee Pannu's and the Alia Bhatt's. And much like them, she has the ability to deliver such a well crafted act that feels effortless - but hard to imagine that it is anything but that. In 2022 she gave us the award-winning Badhaai Do, and in 2023 we were gifted such electrifying yet subdued outings in Afwaah and Bheed. This is along those lines and it doesn't disappoint. Although time is taken in the beginning setting the scene of the film, once it gets going, it's non-stop. And the chemistry between Sanjay Mishra and Bhumi is very enjoyable. This will be one of the front runners of the best films of 2024 - and the message of the film deserves that you watch it and tell your friends and family to do the same. This is cinema.

"Bhakshak" takes audiences on a thrilling rollercoaster of action, suspense, and unexpected twists. The film boasts commendable performances, breathtaking cinematography, and a gripping storyline that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. From the opening scene to the penultimate moments, the movie successfully builds anticipation and delivers pulse-pounding excitement.

However, the film's downfall lies in its concluding moments, where the promising narrative takes an unexpected nosedive. The unsatisfactory ending leaves audiences with a lingering sense of disappointment, as loose ends are left untied, and crucial questions are left unanswered. It's as if the movie built up a massive explosion only to fizzle out at the crucial moment.

Despite the disappointment in the finale, "Bhakshak" still manages to shine with its high-octane action sequences, well-crafted characters, and engaging plot twists. While the conclusion may leave some viewers wanting more closure, the journey leading up to it is undeniably entertaining. It's a film that earns its stars through the intensity of its narrative but loses a few due to the letdown in its resolution.

Based on real events, this fictional take on a dark crime on young girls at an home shelter whose name is changed in the film, which gets exposed by a local journalist Vaishali from Koshish news, Patna. She is a strong woman with ideals, for whom journalism is a passion, gets handed over an audit report on the abuse at the shelter and big names are involved in the crime, trying to bury the truth. How does Vaishali find courage to not give up and fight to protect these victims forms rest of the story.

Bhakshak is definitely well intentioned and is a worthy attempt to narrate a dark story. What it lacks is an efficient screenplay which resorts to generic scene building and characterization. When the whole system is rigged, showing how the power is still with the public to fight back and journalists' responsibility in raising to the occasion is a strong story by itself but it requires the writing that balances both the negatives and positives of the system.

The film gets stuck here, that too after introducing all the important characters. The crucial scene with prime witness turns out to be all too convenient and though the film delivers of Shock factor, the entire investigative journalism angle needed solid scenes to make this film work. Otherwise a small time journalist uploading a crucial video on youtube with 400 views, doesn't really make you believe that it would make the baddies shake in fear. However, Bhumi Pedneker, Sanjay Mishra perform well to carry the film and they needed better support wrt writing.

Bhakshak is a story of mixes. Written nicely but directed badly. Aspired for a lot but did not achieve that much. I heard, read and saw that Bhumi was amazing and all, but I personally felt Bhumi did nothing new in this movie, there was nothing that I have not seen her perform in the past that she did in this movie. Even more disappointing for me was Sanjay Mishra (who by the way is one of my most favorite actors). Such a sensitive topic and such strong powerful actors who failed to deliver a nerve wrething performance (even with such a powerful story).

Apart from the lead actors (Bhumi and Sanjay), I found the acting of the rest very good. The guy who plays Sonu did amazing acting. The girl who cooked at the place performed amazingly. Such a great story and such weak meek performances by the leads were such a turn off for me.

This is not a movie, it is the reality of our country, how people become worse than animals. I was watching it, I couldn't believe how dirty human nature is, their mind and body. We cannot even imagine the pain of the respectable girls, what they went through.

Such people have no right to live. Who is responsible for such an orphan child? The same man and woman who, in the pursuit of their lust, make a human being have to go through such pain. They give birth for their own happiness and every future child has to suffer. I am disgusted with such people. The movie is very beautifully showed lvu.

This is the real India OMG. Thank you Gauri Khan for producing such a realistic movie. The actors were excellent illiciting such reaction in me . I hope there are Indians who were upset at what is going on in Bihar and other states . What does the government do. Making railway lines better railways is no feat when you cannot look after your citizens. Thank you Ms Gauri for producing such a great and very much realistic movie.there is not much to mention in writing about this movie, please get your member of parliament to watch this movie and see what is going on in the Country of India. This is not a fiction but The FACT .Thank you Mr Pulkit for writing such a realistic move . May God Bless you and grant you a long productive life. May you feel better soon. I can write much more but his is so repulsive this is. Congratulations to the person who selected the actors to do this story.

Bhakshak is a no- nonsense, gripping in parts & unsettling drama, with some powerful performances. Based on a real incident, this film asks us to look inside ourselves, urges us to ask questions, to be empathetic, to be "HUMAN". This harrowing tale of girl abuse gives a sense of suffocation throughout. Yes, this film is not for entertainment.

Although, it's a well-intentioned drama, the narrative gets basic with no layers. At one point of time, it becomes more preachy than powerful.

However, Bhumi Pednekar along with Sanjay Mishra, Durgesh Kumar and Aditya Srivastava are brilliant in their realistic characters. Music is impactful, especially song "Shaamil hai", written by Raj Shekhar.

This film is streaming on Netflix. Do watch it. Recommended.

Bhakshak is a crime drama film directed by pulkit.

I found the old and newfound bhumi pednekar once again through this film. The one I fell in love with in films like dum laga ke haisha and other pre-covid films. Her dialogue delivery and expressions were on point. She plays a character with a strong spine and moral character, and everybody knows it has its own challenges. She aced it really well. Sanjay mishra is, as always, effortless in his performance. This was a piece of cake character for him, a support system to the protagonist. Aditya srivastav, on the other hand, brings out his devilish, dirty intentions out and makes us all bleed disgust. He alongwith his accomplices give a performance which will make us doubt over human character and basic compassion. Tanisha mehta as 'sudha' portrays the trauma of living in a disturbed space really well. She has seen things, things which are ghastly and amoral. She shivers and her eyes cast down due to the fear about speaking of those ghastly sins.

The first scene itself shows such a harrowing detail that it disturbs your sane mind. How can you do this? How is this behaviour even possible? You will ask those questions yourself. The screenplay is taut throughout, slackening a bit in the second half, when the police come into play. The police procedural should have been written better. A film so detailed deserved that part. The film never shows any gruesome details in general but only the aftermath of those, and yet it is so effective. The sound design of this film is impeccable, the music is very good. The background score is used very less which brings out the natural quality of the scenes.

The subject which the film discusses about women and the crimes against them is not new. But the execution has been superb. The film also presents a strong argument in favour of the media, the fourth pillar of democracy which has stooped to lower than lower levels in today's world. A strong media, a supportive media to the commons' cause can create upheavals in this world, this waa just a small instance.

"Bhakshak", directed by Pulkit, addresses a distressing crime against vulnerable children with a commendable lack of sensationalism. Loosely inspired by the Muzaffarpur shelter home case of 2018, the film, though well-intentioned, lacks the artistic finesse needed to elevate it beyond a simple recounting of events1. The investigative-crime thriller lacks both investigation and thrill, making the film more exhausting and less gripping. The storytelling lacks a sense of urgency or even fear that are essential to make a hard-hitting issue like this deeply engaging.

The movie revolves around small-time video journalist Vaishali Singh (played by Bhumi Pednekar), who, aided by her cameraman Bhaskar Sinha (played by Sanjay Mishra), stumbles upon a report raising red flags about a shelter home for girls in Munnawarpur (a thinly-disguised name for the real place). Ient. No spoilers here, because this is exactly how the real-life case played out.

A top female cop (played by Sai Tamhankar) is helpful but only up to a point, leaving Vaishali to do all the heavy lifting. The focus on Vaishali's personal life, with an angry husband berating her for staying out late, shows us how hard it is for women to do what their heart desires. But while it does provide some relief from the direness of the tale, it also lengthens the film needlessly. Pednekar is earnest and works at making her character believable, but she is saddled with basic storytelling and zero nuance. And shaking a finger at us for not caring is not always the best way of making yourself heard.

In summary, "Bhakshak" attempts to shed light on a grave issue but falls short of delivering a truly impactful cinematic experience. Its intentions are noble, but the execution lacks the finesse needed to leave a lasting impression.

My god! This was heavy, both in subject material and execution. But, despite being disturbing, these are the stories are meant to be told, not because this sort of stuff happened, but because we shouldn't have to be a mere spectator, rather we should demand answers from the authority. This film is a compelling tale of the importance and power of media, and if used correctly, it truly can act as a balance against the unchecked authority of the government. Loved it! This is a labour of love and everyone gave his heart and soul to this project. Extremely well written, superbly directed and brilliantly performed, this film about an investigative journalist sifting a case of sexual assault in an orphanage is a winner on all fronts. Films like these strengthen my belief in the fact that the Hindi film industry is still going strong, and isn't as toothless as claimed by some so-called elites (people who watch only 2 Bollywood films each year, that too of mostly terrible quality is deliberately selected).

Bhumi Pednekar takes the lead as Vaishali Singh, a reporter who is struggling to balance her dream and personal life.

She stumbles upon a small orphanage in Bihar involved in child abuse and decides to help the kids out.

The story revolves around her efforts to do so while facing the odds.

Sanjay Mishra's presence provides a comforting touch to the film, injecting moments of levity into an otherwise grave storyline.

Aditya Srivastav also did a good job portraying the antagonist in the film.

In the end, the film leaves audiences with a lingering question, but I'll let you figure this one out.

The film tackles important social issues and features commendable performances, particularly by Tanisha Mehta as Sudha, Sanjay Mishra as Bhaskar, and Bhumi Pednekar as Vaishali. Aditya Srivastav as Bansi was okay, but he had nothing extra to offer. Despite this talented cast, the movie falls short in delivering depth and intensity. It resembles a typical crime show, lacking the necessary complexity to fully engage the audience. While the performances and cinematography earn it a solid 7-star rating, the lack of innovation and substance warrants a lower score of 3 out of 10. Additionally, it feels like everything was handed to the leading lady on a silver platter. We are left wondering why and how she suddenly became motivated. She is depicted as a failed journalist, yet somehow achieves success at every turn, offering nothing new or refreshing to the narrative. Despite its flaws, the film sheds light on pressing issues such as abuse of power and the importance of honest journalism. However, its heavy-handed approach and occasional flirtation with voyeurism may alienate some viewers. Ultimately, Bhakshak offers a stark portrayal of systemic injustice but fails to deliver a truly impactful narrative.

BHAKSHAK tells the story of a feisty journalist Vaishali who along with her camera-man Bhaskar decides to take on a ruthless politician Bansi Sahu who is exploiting & abusing young girls in a shelter home in Bihar.

The film has some impactful moments & makes us question the society that we are living in. Writer-director handling of this sensitive subject matter is commendable & it helps that he has a solid cast which has given over the top performances This isn't just a movie, it's a raw, unflinching portrayal of societal issues in Bihar & hitting hard where it matters .

Overall Bhakshak conveys an important & gut-wrenching story in a hard-hitting way. The pacing is a bit slow, some of the scenes are disturbing & the film could have been 20 mins shorter, yet it packs a punch.

Powerful log kesse bhi krke nikal jate hai . WAKE UP TO REALITY."Bhakshak" is a thought-provoking movie that delves into the harsh realities of power dynamics in our society. The film skillfully portrays a world where the powerful seem untouchable, and justice appears to be a distant dream for the common people. Through its compelling narrative and well-crafted characters, "Bhakshak" sheds light on the inequality and injustice prevalent in our society, where those in positions of authority often escape accountability for their actions.

One of the film's strongest aspects is its portrayal of the struggles faced by ordinary individuals who are victims of exploitation and oppression by the powerful elite. The movie effectively captures the frustration and helplessness experienced by these characters as they navigate a system that is rigged against them. The performances by the cast members are commendable, bringing depth and authenticity to their respective roles.

The theme of the film resonates strongly with real-world issues, making it both relevant and impactful. It serves as a poignant reminder that the world does not always operate on principles of fairness and justice, and that those with power and influence often wield it to their advantage, leaving the marginalized and vulnerable at their mercy.

Overall, "Bhakshak" is a compelling and thought-provoking film that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about societal power dynamics. It serves as a wake-up call to the harsh realities faced by many, urging us to strive for a more equitable and just society where everyone, regardless of their status or privilege, is held accountable for their actions.