Bastar: The Naxal Story is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language political thriller film directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.[5] It stars Adah Sharma, Indira Tiwari, Vijay Krishna, Shilpa Shukla, Yashpal Sharma, Subrat Dutta and Raima Sen.[6]
Baster: The Naxal Story | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Sudipto Sen |
Written by | Amarnath Jha Sudipto Sen Vipul Amrutlal Shah |
Story by | Sudipto Sen Amarnath Jha |
Produced by | Vipul Amrutlal Shah |
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Ragul Dharuman |
Edited by | Dev Rao Jadhav |
Music by | Bishakh Jyoti |
Production company | Sunshine Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 124 minutes[1] |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Budget | ₹15 crore[2] |
Box office | ₹1.79–3 crore[3][4] |
The film was announced in June 2023, along with the title of the film, it's based on the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh and the April 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada.[7] Bastar was theatrically released on 15 March 2024.[8] The film received negative reviews from critics and was a major box office bomb.[9]
Cast
edit- Adah Sharma as I.P.S. Neerja Madhavan [10]
- Indira Tiwari as Ratna
- Vijay Krishna as Lanka Reddy
- Shilpa Shukla as Neelam Nagpal
- Yashpal Sharma as Utpal Trivedi
- Subrat Dutta as Millind Kashyap
- Raima Sen as Vanya Roy
- Anangsha Biswas as Lakshmi
- Kishor Kadam as Rajendra Karma
- Sanjay Borkar as Gynaecologist
- Atharva Sawant as Saryu
- Gopal K. Singh as Srivastav
- Purnendu Bhattacharya as Narayan Bagchi
- Naman Jain as Raman
- Vikas Shukla as Dr. Ajay
- Abhikalp Gagdekar as Kartam
- Anamika Tiwari as Baruna
- Gandhali Jain as Yamuna Nagar
- Sameer Trimbakkar as Male Judge
- Sukanya Dhanda as Female Judge
- Nidhi Rasane as Rama
- Priyank Raj as Alok Puneet
Production
editDevelopment
editThe film was produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and directed by Sudipto Sen, who is also the story writer of the film. In June 2023, Sunshine Pictures, the production company of the film, via social media, announced their next film titled Bastar.[11]
Filming
editThe principal photography commenced on 19 October 2023, with a muhurat puja and completed the first schedule of shooting.[12][13]
Release
editTheatrical
editBastar was theatrically released on 15 March 2024.[14] The film was not properly released and got only a screen or two at the theatres.[15]
Home Video
editThe digital streaming rights of Bastar was bought by ZEE5. The film started streaming on 17 May 2024.[16]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.3/10.[17]
Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India rated 3/5 and wrote "Bastar is a hard-hitting crime drama, with moments that surely shake you."[18] Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com gave 2/5 stars and wrote "The Naxal movement has such a complex history that several books have been written to understand it. Bastar: The Naxal Story seeks to reduce it to bullet points and stereotypes."[19]
Rohit Bhatnagar of The Free Press Journal gave 2/5 stars and wrote "Bastar: The Naxal Story is a sloppy docudrama that is away from thrill, adventure and drama".[20] Zinia Bandyopadhyay of India Today gave 1/5 stars and wrote that Bastar is "Sensational, oversimplified film with no nuance".[21]
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated 0.5/5 stars and wrote "To expect any kind of nuance from the makers of The Kerala Story would have been a stretch. Bastar is more of the same."[22] Samvartha Sahil of Deccan Herald rated 0.5/5 stars and wrote "Sudipto Sen’s new feature film Bastar: The Naxal Story lacks not just an understanding of a complex political situation, and its larger socio-economic undercurrents, but also of constructing a compelling narrative."[23]
References
edit- ^ "Bastar (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Back Yodha Box Office Collection Day 6". Mint. 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar: The Naxal Story box office collection". The Times of India. 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar – The Naxal Story Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ "'The Kerala Story' makers announce next film 'Bastar', to release in 2024". TheHindu. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Bastar A Naxal Story: Adah Sharma Reunites With The Kerala Story Makers, Kickstarts Shooting". Zee News. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Nationalist Hindi Films' Impact on Elections". Livemint.
- ^ "Adah Sharma's 'Bastar: The Naxal Story' release date out. See first look posters". India Today. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Bastar box office collection day 3: Adah Sharma's film barely". Indian express. 18 March 2024.
- ^ "Adah Sharma To Play I.G. Neerja Mathur In Bastar The Naxal story". The Free Press Journal. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "The Kerala Story makers announce next film Bastar about 'another gripping true incident that will leave you speechless'". Hindustan Times. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "'द केरल स्टोरी' के बाद अदा शर्मा ने शुरू की 'बस्तर: द नक्सल स्टोरी' की शूटिंग, सेट से पहली तस्वीर आई सामने". Zee News. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "It's a schedule wrap for team 'Bastar'". Times Entertainment. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "The Kerala Story duo Vipul Shah and Sudipto Sen announce Bastar". Bollywood Hungama. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Box Office: Yodha Does Well, Shaitaan Is A Superhit". Rediff.com. 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Adah Sharma's Bastar OTT Release Date Confirmed OTT". Deccanchronicle.com. 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Bastar The Naxal Story". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar: The Naxal Story Movie Review: This Naxal Saga Is An Intense Dive Into Societal Turmoil". The Times of India. 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar: The Naxal Story Review: Bizarre". Rediff. 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar: The Naxal Story Review: Adah Sharma's Act Too Can't Save Sudipto Sen's Yawn Fest". The Free Press Journal. 15 March 2024.
- ^ "'Bastar The Naxal Story' Review: Sensational, oversimplified film with no nuance". India Today. 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Bastar The Naxal Story movie review: Watching this is beyond terrible". The Indian Express. 15 March 2024.
- ^ "'Bastar' movie review: Anti-naxal film that propagates violence". Deccan Herald. 15 March 2024.