CAST
Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Deepti Naval, Suresh Oberoi, Deena Pathak, Supriya Pathak, Mohan Gokhle

CREDITS
Producer - NFDC
Director – Ketan Mehta
Music – Rajat Dholakia
Camera – Jehangir Chaudhary
Story - Chunnilal Madiya

STORY
SONBAI is something of a legend in Saurashtra. She was the one, who had dared to defy the village subedar and lived to tell the tale. Ketan Mahta, in Mirch Masala transforms the legend into potent cinema. It’s not just the story of one woman, but of the social and moral upheaval that takes place in a village resigned to tyranny. Set in the British era, this village is ruled by a cruel and clownish subear (It looks like only Naseeruddin Shah could have played the role. He’s simply superb). He sets his heart on Sonbai (Smita Patil) who escapes from his clutches, into a chilli factory, where the local women work.

The old Muslim watchman (Om Puri) of the factory barricades the woman behind the factory gates and challenges the subedar to break the gates if he wants to get Sonbai.

The villagers tremble under his wrath. The mukhi (Suresh Oberoi) and the men of the village are willing to strike bargain with the subedar, they will give him Sonbai, if he will spare the village.

The mukhi’s wife (Deepti Naval giving a quietly dignified performance), the only progressive minded woman in the village tries to gather together a weak army of thali-beating women but it doesn’t work.

It is the self-respect of an entire village against a man’s insane demand. The women in the factory curse and abuse Sonbai for bringing trouble. “You won’t find a lover like him,” says a woman (Ratna Pathak Shah in an impressive cameo) who has been to the subedar’s tent in return for a small gift.

In the midst of the storm, Sonbai stands tall, supported only by the old chowkidaar.