Dedh Bigha Zameen

Plot

Anil, a 28-year-old wheat seller, lives with his wife, mother, and sister. He agrees to a dowry for his sister Neha's marriage to Ajay, a soon-to-be government servant. To fund it, he plans to sell his late father's land, only to find it is under litigation by MLA Amar Singh. After meeting the MLA, Anil is arrested on false charges.

The broker has manipulated in favor of the MLA. The sister's marriage is cancelled after she goes missing. The broker confesses after being beaten, but an MLA goon shoots Anil, who dies in the climax.

Reception

Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com rated the film 3/5 stars, noting that Pratik Gandhi brings any character to life with his dedication and instinctive understanding of the role. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 2/5 stars, stating that while Gandhi is in nearly every frame, the filmmaker should have given the supporting actors more to do.

Dhaval Roy of The Times of India rated it 3/5 stars, calling it worth watching for Gandhi's performance and the gritty portrayal of a common man's struggle. Sonal Pandya of Times Now gave 2.5/5 stars, saying the milieu and narrative are strong but the execution is wobbly, with Gandhi carrying the film as it veers into melodramatic territory. Rahul Desai of Film Companion described the film as a modern ode to Bimal Roy's neo-realism, but found it more than half an acre short of its target, nearly boring, and noted its decision to be boring is supposed to be brave.

Did You Know?

• The music for the film is composed by Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Rochak Kohli, and Anurag Saikia.
• Lyrics are written by Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Manoj Muntashir, and Rashmi Virag.
• The song 'Zidd Na Karo' is a remake of part of the song 'Say Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo', sung by Farida Khanum.