Srijit Mukherji’s latest release Sherdil-The Pilibhit Saga narrates the tale of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve controversy in 2017. Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Neeraj Kabi, and Sayani Gupta, the life and death drama is an interesting take on the story. But does it hold your attention and make a statement? Read our review of Sherdil-The Pilibhit Saga to find out!

To die or not to die

Gangaram (Pankaj Tripathi), the sarpanch of his village, is desperate to find a solution to the persisting problem in his village. Since the village is near a tiger reserve, the animals around the area spoil the crop by eating it and leaving the villagers with nothing to sell. The helplessness and poverty lead to multiple suicides in the village and the sarpanch is on his toes to find a permanent solution to this issue.

This leads him to the city to seek help from government officials. But since no one has ever heard of the village, they aren’t bothered at all. So, they end up telling Gangaram about a never-ending procedure of paperwork in order to sort the problem.

The disappointed sarpanch walks out and sees another scheme on the office board. The scheme offers a hefty sum of 10 lakh rupees to the family of anyone who has been hunted or killed by a tiger near the farm. And that is when he decides to sacrifice himself and become a martyr that everyone will remember for ages. But his wife is not on board with his crazy plans and shuts down his idea. So, Gangaram must decide whether he wants to die or not and save his village with his sacrifice.

Once he decides to venture into the forbidden jungle, he meets Jim Ahmed (Neeraj Kabi). A dreadlock kinda guy with a deep voice and even deeper conversations, he is a poacher on the hunt. And he helps Gangaram in becoming the prey of his own prey. The two form a unique bond that adds an interesting angle to the otherwise slow-paced movie.

The cast tries to hold it together, but the slow pace hinders the film

Pankaj Tripathi plays his role to perfection and keeps his role tight and interesting. Sayani Gupta, who plays his wife Laajo, is also a good addition to the movie as she adds a little punch of sarcasm, sass, and dramatic dialogues. Neeraj Kabi also plays an impactful role and is reliable as ever to help keep the movie from sinking. But even the great cast in this film could not save the film from its painfully slow pace.

The soundtrack and background music add life to the story

Sticking to the theme of the movie, the background score really flows well with the storytelling. It is powerful, refreshing, and adds life to the dreary scenes which would have been boring without the music.

Sherdil-The Pilibhit Saga is funny sometimes but slow-paced most of the time which can make you lose interest in it. But if you’re going for Pankaj Tripathi, you’ll have a good time.

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