Cautionary tale that avoids preaching

Sherni

Hindi (Amazon Prime Video)

Director: Amit V Masurkar

Cast: Vidya Balan, Vijay Raaz, Neeraj Kabi, Sharat Saxena

When humans upset nature’s balance, they pay a heavy price.

A tigress is on the prowl, attacking people. It is the job of newly posted forest officer Vidya Vincent (Vidya Balan) to capture the big cat and release it to safety. But in this mission, there are many hurdles, like politics and greed.

'Sherni' is a film that is impactful even as it subtly gives out a message. The story shows the vested interests of politicians and hunters, and what the forest department is up against. The brilliant cast complements the story well.

It brings to mind the story of Avni, a tigress who was killed a few years ago. Poaching and exploitation of the wild have for long affected the world. People have found some ways to deal with this and delicately balance development and conservation. 'Sherni' shows some of these methods and is educational in that sense.

The film upholds the need to follow scientific principles. At a time when the world is facing a pandemic and misinformation is the norm, this message roars.