Soni begins with the eponymous lead (Geetika Vidya Ohylan) furiously pedalling a cycle. She has a ‘gentleman’ in close pursuit — one who finds whistles and catcalls appropriate ways to communicate with women. If you are an Indian woman, you know how this scene unravels. Soni maintains a stony silence while the gentleman continues his advances. After a point, she loses it and he retaliates with a version of ‘chalti kya’. Now, Soni absolutely loses it and beats him black and blue. A horde of policemen storm the scene out of nowhere and break the scuffle. One cop hands Soni her police jacket, while the man is taken to a hospital. (It is a decoy operation) However, Soni is reprimanded by Kalpana (Saloni Batra) for not following protocol. The scene effectively sets the stage for what follows — an exhaustive, level-headed, and rounded look into the lives of two policewomen and the gender issues they face.

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