Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – The story revolves around the case of a missing schoolteacher, Sajini Shinde who is presumed dead after she jumps off a bridge into a river in an alleged suicide attempt.

My Take – With the dangers of social media being a hot topic for some time now, more and more filmmakers have been using the boom of digital age to bring forth their different stories focusing mainly on the harms. And while this latest addition to the growing list alludes to a much more sinister concept than one might think, it does however provide a great insight into how little it takes to turn a public opinion against someone, particularly a young women.

Directed by Mikhil Musale (Made in China), who also shares writing credits with Parinda Joshi, Anu Singh Choudhary and Kshitij Patwardhan, the film works as a cross between a social drama and a police procedural, addressing social media frenzy, slut shaming and patriarchy.

And backed by an effective star cast, the resulting feature is a gripping thriller that pits it titular young women against a family and a society that will, even in this day and age, permit her zero space to breath or spare a thought to allow her to be who she wants to be in her private time.

Sure, for a film pegged as a thriller, the screenplay and the writing could have been tighter, and the climax should have been handled better, but that said, director Musale still manages to build enough tension and suspense throughout the film about Sajni’s whereabouts to keep one invested.

The story initially follows Sajini Shinde (Radhika Madan), a Pune-based school-teacher, who finds her life uprooted when a clip showing her getting drunk and enjoying herself at a bar during an overseas work trip gets accidentally uploaded by her colleague, Shraddha Oswal (Shruti Vyas), on the school’s socials.

And when the video goes viral, it invites wrath of the school management and people dear to her, who take no time to shun her. There is more agony for Sajini as even her possessive fiancé Siddhant (Sohum Majumdar) laments her for embarrassing him, and their two families.

However, a day later, word spreads that Sajini is missing, with a suicide note left behind of Facebook blaming Siddhant, and her chauvinist father (Subodh Bhave) for her woes. But, with no body to be found, the case is handed over to Bela Barot (Nimrat Kaur), a sassy crime-branch officer, who is entrusted to find Sajini – dead or alive.

Here, director Mikhil Musale gets the film’s setting and tone absolutely right. He and his co-writers manage to address a highly relevant and sensitive topic with sincerity. It portrays the helplessness and despair that individuals face when their private lives are exposed in the public, particularly in the age of social media. They emphasize the importance of fact-checking and refraining from passing judgments or engaging in mindless gossip that can destroy lives.

The film exists in a world where social media is omnipresent but the messaging is more layered. It’s a film that focuses on the real and the staged. The film is symptomatic of what’s often happens in the age of social media and how we rely on external validation to feel good about ourselves.

The investigation too is gripping that rides more on its characters. Sajini’s disappearance reveals the true colors of her parents and colleagues who either distance or use the situation for vested interest. Sajini’s father is an actor who spouts feminist dialogues on stage, but never intends to internalize. While Shraddha, not acknowledging any of her part in the matter, continues to start one social media campaign after another.

It particularly exposes Siddhant as virtue-signaling creep, the kind of toxic gas lighter who might have been a heartbeat away from being named in a MeToo scandal. Even Kalyani (Bhagyashree), the principal of the school Sajini teaches at, is too obsessed with her school’s reputation to practice what she preaches. Every character is less interested in Sajini’s disappearance and more in their personal interests and posturing. It is a disheartening and raw insight into the real world.

Performances wise, Nimrat Kaur brings in yet another a solid, admirably consistent turn, while Radhika Madan tries to make the most of her sketchily written character. Bhagyashree leaves a lasting impression. Soham Majumdar who effortlessly chews up the scene as Sajini’s manipulative and toxic fiancé. He haughtily talks about doing the bare minimum by bringing sanitary pads for his partner and in a moment of rage, doesn’t blink to chide her with derogatory remarks.

Subodh Bhave is believable as a thespian, chauvinist husband- father. In other roles, Chinmay Mandlekar, Sumeet Vyas, Shruti Vyas, Ashutosh Gaikwad, and Rashmi Agdekar are effective. On the whole, ‘Sajni Shinde ka Viral Video’ is a compelling social thriller backed by inspired acting displayed by the entire cast.