Watch TrailerSajini Shinde Ka Viral Video Review: National Award-winning director Mikhil Musale might not have created the right kind of noise with his Bollywood debut, Made In China (2019), but he makes up for it with his second directorial venture, Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video. Mikhil helms a sensitive narrative that touches upon slut shaming, ‘kitty party activism’, lopsided definitions of feminism in this age of social media and how repressed women trying to break free from the shackles of judgment are often reduced to just entities seeking attention and validation.
Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video begins with a night club scene in Singapore. A bunch of teachers from KP High School in Pune, who are currently in Singapore for a robotics program with students, decide to take a break and let their hair down. One among them is Sajini Shinde, a physics teacher and self-proclaimed ‘wannabe’, who after much hesitation, decide to down a few shots and climb atop a table and dance her heart out to celebrate her birthday. Soon, the video goes viral when one of her peers accidentally amplifies it. What follow are students and their parents slut shaming her, the school principal firing her, a fiancé who is now ashamed for asking her to be ‘cool and modern’ and a family that doesn’t bat an eyelid before wanting to ostracise her.
Soon Sajini leaves behind a final goodbye post on social media and disappears. A police investigation led by Bela, a skilled crime branch cop, begins to understand whether Sajini has been committed a suicide or has just gone missing. As the story unfolds, we get a glimpse into Sajini’s misogynistic and hypocritical family life and society that places honour before everything else. And that’s where this film excels. It’s so much more than just the unravelling of a mystery. It makes some strong statements and brings back the spotlight on the dubious double-standard nature of institutions that are educated and liberal only on paper.
Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video is billed as a social thriller. However, Mikhil’s treatment makes it more of a drama. But that’s not to say that the narrative isn’t engaging. The climax doesn’t disappoint and barring a handful of moments in the second half of the film, you won’t be able to take your eyes away from the screen. Mikhil wastes no time and dives straightaway into the crux of the storyline right through the first sequence. At 1 hour 57 minutes, Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video makes for a fresh, fast-paced, thrilling ride.
Nimrat Kaur plays Bela and she’s in top form. The nuance and stillness she brings to her already well-written character deserve applause. She’s badass and her mellowed comic timing is bang on! Earlier this year, she impressed many with her stellar act in School Of Lies and with Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video, she once again shuns the sheen and goes de-glam thus defying every norm pertaining to a quintessential protagonist.
Radhika Madan’s performance as the titular character, however, seems underwhelming. While she gives it her all and the effort is palpable, she doesn’t quite hit the right notes. Her Sajini goes through the toughest and most painful episodes but she doesn’t evoke much emotion. Her final scene in the film is quite well-written but doesn’t translate onscreen with the same intensity.
Bhagyashree as principal Kalyani Pandit delivers – what can be called – her career best performance. This is the meatiest role we’ve seen her essaying and she seems to be reveling in it while doing so. Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video perfectly taps the seasoned actor that lies beneath the Mani Pyar Kiya star. She’s manipulative, conniving and brilliant in every frame. Hopefully, this will mark the beginning of a new chapter for her.
Another actor that deserves a mention is Soham Majumdar, who plays Sajini’s unlikeable, misogynistic and problematic fiancé, Siddhant Kadam. He plays his part to a T and is a complete revelation. Ace Marathi actor Subodh Bhave who plays Sajini’s father delivers a class act too. Most of the men in Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video – except for Sumeet Vyas who’s charming and impressive but doesn’t have much to do – are obnoxious and conditioned by the sexist society. Despite that, the writers don’t make complete antagonists out of them but rather humanises them.
Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video deserves a watch. It not only is high on its entertainment quotient but also raises several questions on the modern notions of feminism and empowerment that has been widely dissected by the social media generation. The film perfectly and bluntly encapsulates Lucius Annaeus Seneca’s famous quote – sometimes even to live is an act of courage. And Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video epitomises courage in many ways.
