Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar – a ‘road trip’ across power & social imbalances

Sandeep urf Sandy (Parineeti Chopra) is a banker, secretly embroiled in a multi crore scam, and Pinky urf Satyendra (Arjun Kapoor) is a head constable of Haryana police, suspended for a reason not revealed but hinted at the very end. Taking advantage of Pinky’s desperation to return back to the police force, he is tricked by a senior he trusts & reveres into driving Sandy for a night but as fate would have it, their short time together turns into a run for their lives. Two people who were never meant to cross paths suddenly find themselves embroiled in each other’s past & present as they hope of a safe future.

One of the central themes that this film explores is what happens when a fish, big & mighty in its own pond, finds itself thrown into the river?#SandeepAurPinkyFaraar is about ego tussles, silent humiliations and finally finding or rather fighting for one’s place in the grand scheme of things which is designed to be skewed in the favor of the big fish unless there is disturbance enough. It’s a film about those rare disturbances.

Like #DibakarBanerjee’s earlier films, the characters in this film are wholesome human beings whose specific personalities & quirks are pencilled in to create not just their own persona but also direct & shape their interactions with others. Sandeep is an independent, strong woman with a sharp mind, always on the lookout for loopholes & weaknesses. She may have hit hard times but those traits are still very much a part of her arsenal. Similarly, Pinky is a brawny but under confident man given to emotions, loyalty and a sense of sacrifice. So even as he threatens Sandy, even physically, his lack of confidence & emotional tendencies are underlined as he apologizes to her or secretly helps her make meals.

However the above attention to detail is not limited to just the main characters. So its not just Sandy & Pinky who have specific personalities & idiosyncrasies, but so do the elderly couple they “befriend”, the police officer who duped Pinky, Sandy’s colleague who is roped in to track her & even the local shopkeeper & his son. Each and every character is a story in themselves much like every person you meet in life, it just really depends on how much attention we are paying to them when.

And if you pay even the slightest attention here, you will notice the subtle hints at gender dynamics, workplace politics where women are pit against each other, social & economic differences. Scene after scene is layered with not just the ‘main’ story but also these little peeps into the lives of other characters & their daily struggles which are very much a part of the real life world we inhabit, even if we are either privileged enough to ignore them or have already internalized them. For instance, the opening scene which is not only a great intro to the film & its characters & becomes the first instance of highlighting the differences between Sandy & Pinky but also sets a city, the power imbalances involved & just how quickly life can change. The most succinct (and horrifying) example of this change in power equations is perhaps the scene where a “regular” character transforms into a monster & its with a sinking feeling that the viewer, specially women, will realise that these transformations happen all the time in real life.

Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar is also refreshing because of the unexpected acting quality of its lead stars. The film is peppered with an excellent ensemble cast but even amongst them Parineeti & Arjun are able to register their presence, thanks to strong direction.

Strongly recommended, especially if you have any interest in cinema beyond entertainment. Film students will find this a useful tool in learning how to set a scene which not only helps continue the story but also comments on society without preaching & how to write well nuanced characters. Kudos to writers Varun Grover & Dibakar Banerjee.

Watch #SandeepAurPinkyFaraar for its story, direction, acting, for the small moments & the big feelings they will bring out in you.

Direction – Dibakar Banerjee

Cast – Parineeti Chopra, Arjun Kapoor, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Jaideep Ahlawat

👩🏾‍💻 – Amazon Prime India