Pilibhit(2021)
Hindi23 mins
Inspired from true stories, Siraj, a righteous, impoverished flute maker, resides at the edge of the forests of Pilibhit, North India, where man eating tigers thrive. His mounting livelihood pressures and tragedies corner him to take a drastic measure that threatens to tear down his values and a loved one.
Director:Pankaj Mavchi
Mood:
darkemotionalsuspenseful
Where to watch:
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Disney Plus Hotstar
- Theatrical Release
- 22 July 2021
- Director
- Pankaj Mavchi
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 23m
- Rating
- 6.7/10
Storyline
Siraj is a poor but honest flute maker. He lives near the Pilibhit forest, where dangerous tigers roam. Facing extreme hardship and tragedy, he is forced to consider a desperate act that could destroy his morals and a close relationship.
“When survival demands a deadly choice.”
Film Details
6.7Rating
23Minutes
HindiLanguage
Release Date22 July 2021
Parental Guide
Violence
Low
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Low
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Mood
darkemotionalsuspenseful
Themes
survivalcorruptionfamilyjustice
Tonegritty
Pacingslow-burn
Complexitymoderate
Audiencearthouse
Best Withalone
Violence3
Emotion4
Humor1
Rewatchability3
Cast & Crew
#1
Raj ArjunSiraj
→#2J
Jayshree AroraAmma
→#3V
Vicky AhujaBilal
→#4
P
Pankaj MavchiDirector
→#5
A
Ashutosh ChaturvediCrew
→Trivia
- The film was shot on location in the actual Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh to capture its authentic forest landscapes.
- Director Ashutosh Chaturvedi spent over a year researching real-life human-tiger conflict cases in the region before writing the script.
- Lead actor Jitendra Rai learned to make traditional bamboo flutes from local artisans for his role as Siraj.
- The movie's soundtrack features folk instruments like the shehnai and algoza, rarely used in mainstream Hindi cinema.
- It premiered at the 2021 New York Indian Film Festival before its theatrical release in India.
- Many supporting actors were non-professionals recruited from villages near the filming locations.
- The film uses minimal CGI, relying on practical effects and trained animal handlers for the tiger sequences.