India Lockdown review: Shweta Basu Prasad, Prateik Babbar starrer recalls horrors of pandemic with gritty narrative

Director: Madhur Bhandarkar 

Cast: Shweta Basu Prasad, Prateik Babbar, Sai Tamhankar, Ahana Kumar, Prakash Belwadi, and others

Where to watch: ZEE5

Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes 

Ratings: 3.5 stars

India Lockdown synopsis: As India goes into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, five lives from different strata of society, face life-changing challenges. How the event affects them, and how they cope with it, forms the plot of India Lockdown.  

India Lockdown review: As soon you hear 'lockdown,' several memories of the past two tragic years flash through the mind instantly. The country faced the biggest event in the 2020s when an entire nation was asked to a standstill due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Covid lockdown is still afresh in our memory. Still, Madhur Bhandarkar's India Lockdown manages to make you think about the adverse effect of the event. Many upper-middle-class and high-class people were busy sharing their lazy moments, cooking experiments, house cleaning photos and videos, and even vacation pictures on their social media. But, there was a significant chunk of the society that faced brutal effects from the 68 days of national lockdown. Due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the Indian government announced 21 days of nationwide lockdown, which got extended with three more phases. India Lockdown narrates the plight and struggle of humans between the first two phases of the lockdown. 

India Lockdown highlights the lives of a senior citizen Nageshwar Rao (Prakash Belawadi) struggles to reach Hyderabad, just to be with his expecting daughter. Madhav (Prateik Babbar), a migrant worker, is determined to reach his village in Bihar,  walking 1000s of km with his wife Phoolmati (Sai Tamhankar) and two daughters. Moon Alves (Ahana Kumra), an ambitious and independent pilot, gets attracted to a young boy. A sex worker Mehrunnisa (Shweta Basu Prasad) struggles to earn money during the pandemic. So that she could support her aged mother. 

You will relate with Nageshwar and Moon. Their reactions to the pandemic, their safety measures and their lifestyle won't surprise you much. Mehrunnisa, Madhav and Phoolmati will stay with you even after the film. We all have heard how daily wagers and migrant workers walked bare-footed towards their homes, and a few of them even lost their life. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

While watching India Lockdown, you will feel uncomfortable when a prostitute goes for phone sex, to earn quick bucks. You will like to puke when Madhav eats rotten bananas with his family. In another scene, he searches through a trash bin, to find something edible for his kids, and he finds a packet of rotten bread. That scene will hit you hard. And, that's where India Lockdown shines. 

Prateik Babbar and Sai Tamhankar in India Lockdown

Speaking about the performances, The film's real stars are Shweta Basu Prasad, Prateik Babbar, and Sai Tamhankar. Shweta played the BOLDEST role of her career. Prasad will surely impress the audience with her sizzling beauty, and equally impressive acting chops. Madhav is Prateik's best since Mulk. Madhav will be added to the list of Pratiek's iconic performances with Dhobi Ghat and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Similarly, Prashant puts out an impressive role of a petrified, responsible citizen. Ahana Kumra impresses as Moon, and you will feel her quest to find companionship. Sai continues to stun the audience, as she easily gets into the skin of a maid and devoted homemaker. 

Shweta Basu Prasad as Mehrunnisa in India Lockdown

When it comes to shortcomings, the major issue was the crisp run time. The story demands a lengthy narration, and there were factors that needed to be answered. The film could have a much better closure. 

India Lockdown final verdict: Madhur Bhandarkar will surely surprise and impress the audience with his take on lockdown. Recalling the horrors of the pandemic will make you realise how fortunate you were when the world was on the verge of collapse.