Sometimes we need to move over from commercial masala potboilers with item songs, hero smashing 10 guys with a single blow and typical song-dance routine and get involve into meaningful cinemas like Kamakhya Narayan Singh directed Bhor which will give you goosebumps with the harsh-reality of Indian states without proper toilets.
Bhor tells the story of district-topper Budhani (played by Savaree Gaur) who leaves her in-law's after marriage when she discovers that her father-in-law and husband intentionally uses the money she earned from the district collector as a reward for setting up a toilet at their house. Budhani vows to bring a change by driving social awareness on the usage of toilet and fight against the age-old tradition.
Bhor catches your attention from the initial reels with light humor and feel good background score. However, the main story unfolds when Budhani discovers the money laundering attempted by her father-in-law and husband. The drama gets more intense when she demands her reward to build a toilet at home which is vehemently rejected by her father-in-law. If the first half comprises of family drama, second half brings well-intention messages of usage of toilet in the villages. The screenplay does falter later while the climax ends abruptly but nevertheless, the overall impact is pretty solid. Art direction is okay while Cinematography is decent. Dialogues are punching while editing is sharp. Kamakhya Narayan Singh does a good job in mixing the entertainment quotient with social message.
Saveree Gaur as Budhani just delivers a knock-out and performance. Watch for her when she burst into tears when she finds out how her reward is being wrongfully utilized for tamasha and nach-gana at her village. The actor who played her husband was good while I liked the Nalneesh Neel (Remember Pandu from Chhichhore) as a cunning father-in-law.
Bhor is a pleasure to watch not just for its satirical humor on Indian Sanitation system, but also for its well-intentioned message on open defecation and value of education especially at the root level. Excellent 4/5
Bhor is produced by Anjani Kumar Singh and is currently streaming on MX Player.
