Drama directed by Ketan Mehta (1985)
Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Om Puri
The film opens with an arrogant subedar (local tax collector in colonial India) and his soldiers rampaging through a village. The subedar has an eye for women and soon spots Sonbai on the riverbank. Sonbai is an intelligent, beautiful and strong woman. Her confidence intrigues the subedar. The film moves deeper into the village. The subedar holds ultimate authority over the village. Subservient to him is the mukhi (village chieftain) and all the villagers. The villagers do their best to scratch out a living, of which the subedar invariably exacts a heavy tax. We learn also that the villagers are mostly illiterate and ignorant of the outside world. The subedar and his men routinely attack the village and raid the food, livestock and supplies.

Broadcast date: Friday 9th December, 2011 @ 22h53 on MBC 2