Driven to desperation, the protagonist leaves a distressing note implicating her father, the theatre actor Suryakant Shinde (Subodh Bhave), and her fiancé, Siddhant Kadam (Soham Majumdar), as the sources of her anguish, then disappears without a trace. The ambiguity surrounding her fate – whether she’s missing or has taken her own life – deepens as conflicting evidence emerges from her past and a mysterious dam site.

The case falls into the hands of Policewoman Bela Barud (Nimrat Kaur), who battles rampant sexism within the police force that has pigeonholed her into the women’s cell. Determined to prove her mettle, Bela zeroes in on Suryakant and Siddhant as the key suspects, her line of inquiry fueled by a relentless ambition to be seen as an equal among her male peers.

Her subordinate, Inspector Ram Pawar (Chinmay Mandlekar), is one of the few who recognizes her stringent dedication, humorously dubbing her “Dooberman” in his phone, a nickname Bela embraces as it aligns with her aspirations.

Meanwhile, pressure mounts from a friend of Sajini and a student counselor (Shruti Vyas), who launches a viral social media campaign demanding justice. Despite the occasional clash between her and Bela, their shared objective of uncovering the truth behind Sajini’s mysterious disappearance remains elusive.

“Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” captivates at moments with a script that evokes empathy for Sajini, despite her family’s apparent indifference, including her subdued mother Urmila (Sneha Raikar), aggressive brother Akash (Ashutosh Gaikwad), and distant boyfriend. Insights into her life, particularly through social media interactions with her father and fiancé, fortify Bela’s suspicion that those closest to Sajini may be involved.

As the film weaves through a mix of predictable and unexpected twists, Bela and Ram diligently piece together clues, assembling a patchwork of evidence that edges them closer to the truth. The narrative’s tension lies in its portrayal of the characters’ quest for answers in a story marred by tragedy and obscured by the complexities of human relationships.

At the same time, the narrative shifts to the courtroom where two lawyers (Sumeet Vyas and Kiran Karmarkar) engage in a heated battle, one defending Siddhant and the other Suryakant. Observing these legal skirmishes is Suryakant’s elder brother (Shashank Shende), a character who seems underdeveloped and peripheral. He’s portrayed as a symbol of oppressive patriarchy, juxtaposed with Sajini’s brother, who represents a toxic form of masculinity. However, neither character significantly contributes to deepening the film’s exploration of these themes.

Despite these shortcomings, “Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” is noted as an improvement over Musale’s previous work, “Made in China.” However, its reasonable 116-minute runtime occasionally feels prolonged and repetitive.

Director Musale, for the first time, ventures out of Gujarat and successfully captures the cultural and linguistic essence of Maharashtra, utilizing Pune’s rich theatrical traditions to depict the story of an orthodox patriarch who dominates his wife and shapes his other relationships. The film also incorporates Marathi language elements, highlighting a cultural and linguistic barrier for Bela, who does not understand the language, subtly touching upon the native vs. outsider debate without making it a central theme.

The film hints at various other societal issues but doesn’t fully integrate them into the narrative, leaving some threads underexplored. Despite these narrative gaps, Nimrat Kaur stands out with her strong and consistent portrayal of the determined investigator, Bela Barud. Her presence keeps the film engaging, even when it veers more towards dialogue than dynamic action.

Other notable performances include Bhagyashree, Soham Majumdar, and Subodh Bhave, who provide contrasting perspectives on the events leading up to Sajini’s disappearance. However, Radhika Madan’s portrayal of Sajini Shinde is marred by her often mumbled dialogue, which, while possibly intended to convey the character’s vulnerability and confusion, ends up obscuring much of what the character needs to express, a critical flaw given the film’s reliance on Sajini’s perspective to drive the story. Her speech is often not understandable and though she comes across as gullible and vulnerable, she is unable to carry the naivety.

Bela and the film indeed have much to articulate, yet it’s only fragments of the broader discourse that “Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” aims to present against patriarchy, the perils of social media, and opportunistic activism that manage to emerge through the thick fog of mixed and often troubling messages. Among these is the film’s disturbingly nonchalant approach to the subject of suicide.

The movie becomes intermittently engaging, thanks largely to Nimrat Kaur’s performance and the occasional plot twist that resonates effectively.