Phoolan is a new Amazon Original Movie premiering at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and it tells the story of Phoolan Devi, the most famous outlaw in Indian history. The film narrows its focus to a single 48-hour siege in 1979, rather than attempting to cover her entire 37-year life. That choice, according to Screenrant‘s review, is what makes the film work.
The story begins with more than 2,000 heavily armed personnel deploying to a small village to apprehend a single 17-year-old girl. Phoolan Devi (Sneha Kumari) had committed Robin Hood-like robberies of higher-caste villages and punished those who raped her. The review calls the structure “intelligently structured” and “action-packed.”
The Siege Opens Without Context
The film drops audiences into the siege with little setup, which the review describes as a jarring start. Writer-director Richie Mehta answers the questions it raises through compact flashbacks. These glimpses flesh out Phoolan’s backstory, showing her fiery spirit, her extensive trauma, and how she earned the media nickname “Bandit Queen.” The review notes that Mehta does not try to capture the full scope of her role in Indian history, pointing readers toward her autobiography and other works for that.
Action Genre Limits
The bulk of the runtime follows Phoolan Devi and her two allies hiding in buildings, diving from bullets, and sprinting from soldiers. The review admits the action is dense, but finds it lacks the tension and grit that define great siege films. The geography of the village is never fully clear, the shootout choreography feels stilted, and the action never quite lands as cathartic or grounded.
The Antagonists Draw Attention Away
Other siege movies like Alex Garland’s Warfare or John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 keep the invaders faceless and silent. Phoolan, the review argues, missteps by spending too much time on its antagonists. The soldiers are often incompetent, and their presence on screen pulls focus away from Phoolan’s battle.
Sneha Kumari’s Breakout Turn
Sneha Kumari anchors the film with a ferocious performance. The review describes her as superb, taking on the role of an important figure with boldness and sensitivity. In action scenes, she convincingly plays a 17-year-old an entire army would deploy to kill. But it is in the flashback sequences where she truly shines, the review argues.
One flashback shows Phoolan rudely discouraged from getting water from a well because she is considered “dirty.” Rather than submit, she goes on the offensive. The review credits Kumari with playing Phoolan not as an instinctively aggressive character, but as a young woman who simply wants to be left alone by a world that continues to bother her.
Why It Still Matters
Despite being set in 1979, the review finds the film’s themes disturbingly universal. It champions gender inequality and follows a David vs. Goliath battle that seems hopeless. The review calls it a conversation with the present, noting that those unfamiliar with Devi’s story should see the film for what it says about her journey and its lasting impact decades later.
A Narrow Focus Pays Off
The review’s central argument is that Mehta’s narrow focus is the film’s strength. By concentrating on a single 48-hour siege, the film avoids the sprawl of a biopic that would try to cover everything. The review praises the film’s structure as proof that this approach works.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Siege begins | Central India, 1979 |
| Flashbacks reveal backstory | Throughout the film |
| 48-hour period covered | Throughout the film |
The review’s verdict is admiration for a film that knows its limits.
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