The movie Soni is one of the most subtle yet powerful performances, unravelling the insights on the functioning of a police station in Delhi. The insights shared are quite different than what we usually see in a majority of Bollywood movies.

The movie is directed by Ivan Ayr, casting Saloni Batra, Vikas Shukla, Mohit Chauhan, and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. Soni is a slow-paced yet very realistic piece of work. It is a kaleidoscopic view of our society from the eyes of two police officers Kalpana (played by Saloni Batra) and Soni (played by Geetika Vidya Ohlyan).

Soni is an aggressive police officer who does not tolerate men breaking laws without fearing anyone and impulsively punishes them. Kalpana, on the other hand, is quite calm and methodical in her way of dealing with outlaws. She follows the protocols and finds solutions in a calculated manner. Both women are under a special decoy operation for looking after the safety of women on the streets of Delhi.

The movie begins with a catcaller, following a lady on a bicycle in some isolated street in Delhi. The scene stirs a lot of eerie anticipation and evokes a sense of alarm as to what is going to happen next. After following the lady and sexually harassing her for the longest time, the story takes a turn in the direction opposite to what our minds are programmed for. The lady ends up beating the catcaller brutally, breaking his jaw. Police officer Soni enters the story.

Soni reiterates that even empowered women are at times rendered helpless in front of the patriarchal society.

Soni beautifully captures the nuances of women in the workplace and their personal lives. The two protagonists, Soni and Kalpana, although from completely different family backgrounds, face the same issue of being treated unjustifiably at work and at home. On multiple occasions, Soni has to face heat from her senior officers due to her so-called “exaggerated” response towards the perpetrators. They believe that she should think more with head and not her heart.

Kalpana, on the other hand, feels the same way about these crimes, but being an IPS officer, she is expected to behave in a measured way and also hold back Soni from behaving aggressively. The movie covers the raw realities of the Delhi Police and the protocols that have to be followed. It also throws light on Kalpana’s dilemma – to save Soni from the repercussions of her temper, while also ensuring that the perpetrators are punished.

In the wake of empowering women in our society, Soni reiterates that even empowered women are at times rendered helpless in front of the patriarchal society. Do not miss this subtle yet thought-provoking piece, directed to perfection.

Also Read: Delhi Crime Review: The Upsetting Part Is The Reality Of It All

Featured image used for representational purpose only. Image source: The Digital Hash