Phoolan

A small village in the heartland of India forms the backdrop of a high-intensity 48-hour siege where a young Phoolan Devi and her group of outlaws must outsmart the Indian police. Richie Mehta’s interpretation of the life and legend of Devi centres on a pivotal moment in her life, contextualized by but never exploitative of her traumatic past. Though young, Devi is already mythologized widely and garners support across caste, class, and gender barriers, showcasing precisely why she was a force to be reckoned with.

Mehta (Amal, TIFF ’07) brings his restrained and realistic true-crime sensibilities from Delhi Crime to this biopic, heavily inspired by her 1996 autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India’s Bandit Queen. In the book, Devi recounts the trauma of her child marriage, the caste discrimination she experienced, and her journey to becoming the Bandit Queen. Devi eventually surrendered, served a prison sentence, and ultimately grew to political power as a Member of Parliament before she was assassinated in 2001. Those familiar with her life story will appreciate this immersive, taut thriller that highlights her moment of becoming. 

Brought to life by Sneha Kumari, this Devi is riveting — unflinchingly challenging the suffocating patriarchy and commanding respect from the men around her in ways that belie her age. Supported by compelling performances by Anurag Thakur, Vikram Pratap Singh, Aakash Dahiya, Prateek Pachori, and Dev Dutt Budholiya, Kumari shines on screen.

ROBYN CITIZEN

Content advisory: discussions of sexual violence; coarse language, explicit violence, misogynistic language and behaviour