
Chauranga review: A strong voice against caste barriers
Chauranga
Director: Bikas Ranjan Mishra
Cast: Sanjay Suri, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Soham Maitra, Riddhi Sen
Rating: 4/5
The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels; it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant. Or so says Salvador Dali.
If you applied Dali’s quote to the context of ‘representation of caste in the Hindi film industry’, how many Bollywood films based on the caste divide in society are actually true?
You may name a few like Achhut Kanya (1936), Sujata (1959), Ankur (1974), Dacait (1987), Bandit Queen (1994) and the more recent Aarakshan (2011). But not all of them actually delve into the sordid details of caste division. In fact, the Hindi film industry is almost oblivious to untouchables.
Our films and most of their audience seem happy with upper caste Hindu heroes who achieve the unthinkable. Even the formidable Khans keep playing a Raj, Rahul, Prem or Ajay as treading the caste territory is dangerous business, almost literally.

However, Bikas Ranjan Mishra’s Chauranga has no qualms in showing it like it is and tells the tale of two Dalit brothers. Yes, it also tells of a mostly upper caste milieu and a fragile woman’s indomitable spirit, but the movie is more than this.
Bajrangi (Riddhi Sen) can go to school because Dhaval (Sanjay Suri), a village strongman, pays his school fees. However, Bajrangi’s younger brother Santu (Soham Maitra) can’t. Hope bubbles considering the boys’ mother Dhaniya (Tannishtha Chatterjee) is Dhaval’s mistress. As a pig breeder, Dhaniya has no other means to educate her children.
Other characters like Dhaval’s meek and obedient wife (Arpita Pal) and adolescent daughter Mona (Ena Saha) support the plot but are mute spectators. Priest Pandey Baba (Dhritiman Chatterjee) adds to the sordid context with his sexual fantasies.
Mishra employs crafty directorial techniques to keep the movie grounded yet intangible. The opening sequence of a young box beaten up for his lunch box by two upper caste bullies is relatable. At the same time, we are not told which time period the film is set in.
If you’re looking for a clue, Salman Khan is often referred to as a metaphor of the escapist fantasy mainstream Bollywood feeds us, including footage from Dabangg (2010). At the same time, mobile phones are conspicuously absent.
But it is the interesting character curves that hook one to the plausibility of the story. Dhaval appears like he is in love with Dhaniya, at least temporarily. He funds her child’s education and looks benevolent from the outset. Yet he is as evil as can be. This duality gives a great touch to Sanjay Suri’s character.
Read: Chauranga deserves a National Award, says producer Onir
What works even better for the movie is the politics that mould the characters. The village has a democratically elected council, but one that works under Dhaval’s thumb. Discontent is brewing among the lower caste community of the area which forms the majority. The seeds are sown for an uprising.
A constant focus on the atrocities faced by the marginalized makes Chauranga a special film. It’s the process of finding a solution by magnifying the ugliness in a contemporary light that strikes a chord and marks Mishra’s cinematic skills.
Watch Chauranga trailer
With a brilliant theme, a narrative structure that flows, and social relevance that hooks the viewer, Chauranga makes for a powerful watch.
The writer tweets @nawabjha.

Ranveer joins family for a birthday celebration, did Deepika skip the gathering?
- Ranveer Singh's sister Ritika Bhavnani celebrated her birthday on Saturday and the entire Bhavnani family came together to celebrate the occasion by stepping out for a family dinner.

'Get a life', says Ameesha Patel, after being accused of defrauding businessman
- Actor Ameesha Patel took to her social media accounts on Saturday to seemingly address reports that she'd defrauded a businessman.

Genelia D’Souza once joked about Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘new girlfriend’ to sons
- Genelia D'Souza once teased sons Rahyl and Riaan about Riteish Deshmukh's 'new girlfriend'. She said that the boys got rather 'upset' with him over the joke.

Jonita Gandhi: Music industry is still male dominant and there’s a certain stereotyping that’s happening with women

Akshay Oberoi: Acting is not a sport or a game, you’re just competing with yourself and your last performance

Freddy Daruwala: I didn’t want the whole Seeta-Geeta concept names for my sons

Malavika Mohanan: I find it annoying when people put Bollywood at a higher pedestal than other film industries

Called 'uneducated', Kangana says her tweets are intended for 'high IQ people'
- Called a 'truly clueless, uneducated, stupid human being' on Twitter, Kangana Ranaut said that her tweets are intended for 'high IQ people'.

Taylor Swift cancels Lover Fest concerts amid ‘unprecedented pandemic’

Rahul Vaidya takes fashion inspiration from Rubina Dilaik, Twitter reacts
- Rahul Vaidya wore a sweatshirt similar to one worn by Rubina Dilaik on Bigg Boss 14, as he took off on a romantic holiday with girlfriend Disha Parmar.

Babil finds old WhatsApp chat with Irrfan: 'I was almost about to text him back'
- Babil Khan got emotional as he stumbled upon old messages from his father, the late Irrfan Khan, while deleting unnecessary texts from his phone.

Goa-bound Pavitra had reply at the ready when asked why Eijaz didn't see her off
- Pavitra Punia had a quick response for the paparazzi, when they asked her why she wasn't accompanied by boyfriend Eijaz Khan at the airport.

When Hrithik Roshan said he could not think of getting married again
- Hrithik Roshan, in an interview in 2017, said that he was at a good place in his life and was not thinking about getting married again. He was previously married to Sussanne Khan.

Step inside Sumona Chakravarti's Scandinavian-inspired Mumbai home
- Sumona Chakravarti has made the maximum use of limited space in her new Mumbai house, designed in Scandinavian style. Watch a video here.

Parineeti says she has ‘never been on a date’, reveals her first kiss was at 18
- Parineeti Chopra reminisced about many of her firsts in a new video for Netflix India. Watch it here.