Abhishek Chaubey says no actor would risk doing Sonchiriya today like Sushant Singh Rajput: ‘Nobody will give even ₹10’

Abhishek Chaubey reflected on Sonchiriya, stating it could not be made today due to a lack of funding and audience appetite for alternative cinema.

Sonchiriya, the gritty Chambal-set drama that earned critical acclaim for its raw storytelling and performances, holds a special place in Abhishek Chaubey’s filmography. However, the filmmaker believes that the film could not be made if it were conceived today. According to Abhishek, the ecosystem that once allowed films like Sonchiriya to exist, where actors took creative risks and audiences embraced alternative narratives, has completely vanished.

Sushant Singh Rajput and Bhumi Pednekar's still from Sonchiriya.

Abhishek Chaubey says no actor would work in Sonchiriya

In an interview with Screen, Abhishek spoke about how Sonchiriya would fail to secure funding today and said, "Today, you would not get money for it at all. Even before the censors and all that, nobody would give you even ₹10 to make it. It just wouldn’t happen. Streaming would be worse. It would not be funded at all. No way." The film’s co-writer Sudip Sharma added that even if it somehow got funded, no one would watch such a film in theatres.

Abhishek further added, "We won’t find any actor only. See, the thing is that there was a phase. Sonchiriya was the last film of that phase, I would say. There was a time when actors could take risks. There was an appetite for alternatives among the audience. For about 15 or 20 years, there was space for alternative cinema, and many alternative filmmakers found success during that period. That era is well and truly over. Today, at every critical stage of filmmaking, Sonchiriya would collapse.”

About Sonchiriya

Helmed by Abhishek Chaubey, the film featured an ensemble cast including Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana, Ranvir Shorey, and Manoj Bajpayee. Set in the ravines of the Chambal Valley, the film tells the tale of dacoits in 1975 who termed themselves Baaghis—the rebels. The film received a positive response and was praised for its authentic Bundelkhandi dialect. However, despite critical acclaim, it failed to perform well at the box office. Made on a budget of ₹30 crore, the film earned only ₹8.50 crore worldwide, but over the years, it has found a cult following.