Watch Firebrand

Firebrand is a 2019 Indian Marathi-language drama film directed by Aruna Raje and produced by Priyanka Chopra under her banner Purple Pebble Pictures. The film follows the life of a successful divorce lawyer, Sunanda Raut (Usha Jadhav), who is a victim of sexual assault in her past. The incident keeps haunting her and affecting her personal and professional life. She gets entangled in various professional and personal crises while dealing with cases of marital discord, dysfunctional families, and patriarchy and society's biases against women.

The film is set in Pune, and it focuses on the life of the Raut family, comprising Sunanda, her husband Madhav (Girish Kulkarni), a successful business owner, and her stepdaughter, Aniket's daughter Mai (Rajashree Deshpande). The family is dysfunctional, and there is a constant struggle for power and control between Sunanda and Madhav over various issues. The film opens when Sunanda takes up the case of a physically abused wife, Savitri, against her husband Raghav (Sachin Khedekar). The case is complicated, and Sunanda's own relationship issues begin to surface. Her commitment to Savitri and her responsibility as a wife and stepmother conflict, and she starts to balance her relationships as she fights for Savitri's right to live with dignity and freedom.

Apart from Savitri's case, Sunanda's own past trauma and her conflicts with the men in her family continually haunt her. Her stepdaughter, Mai, is a rebel who challenges Sunanda's authority in the house, and her husband Madhav is, at times, insensitive towards her problems. The film addresses various issues affecting women such as gender inequality, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and mental health. Sunanda's character is the voice of the silenced women who, despite their professional success, face societal biases, and patriarchal values in their personal lives.

The direction of the film is excellent, and Aruna Raje deserves credit for the handling of the sensitive issues in the film with subtlety and grace. The Marathi language dialogues are authentic and colloquial, capturing the spirit of the language in its natural form. The pacing of the film is slow, but it is essential to highlight the complexity of the issues addressed. Usha Jadhav perfectly portrays the emotionally charged Sunanda, who is a successful professional, but at the same time, a victim of her past trauma. She holds the film together with her powerful performance and brings a real-life texture to her character.

The supporting cast of Girish Kulkarni, Sachin Khedekar, and Rajashree Deshpande have done an excellent job in their respective roles. Girish Kulkarni brings his comic timing to his role, which provides the necessary balance to Usha Jadhav's intense performance. Sachin Khedekar has played his role of the abusive husband with conviction, and Rajashree Deshpande's portrayal of the rebellious step-daughter was a refreshing addition to the film.

The cinematography by Rangarajan Ramabadran is subtle yet elegant. He captures the household scenes and the city of Pune effortlessly, adding to the authenticity of the film. The background score by Gandhar Sangoram is another highlight of the film. It not only amplifies the emotional impact of certain scenes but also gives the film a unique identity.

Overall, Firebrand is a significant addition to the Marathi cinema that addresses several pertinent issues affecting women. The film's nuanced portrayal of complex human emotions and relationships is its strongest point, and the film does an excellent job of showcasing how patriarchy and societal norms influence women's lives. The delicate balance between the professional and personal lives of the lead character, Sunanda, is exceptionally well done, and Usha Jadhav has given a career-defining performance. The film provokes thought, raises questions, and leaves a lasting impression.

Firebrand is a 2019 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2.