
Smita Patil
Sonbai

In colonial India, subedars (tax collectors) went from village to village with soldiers, often demanding more than taxes. A subedar commands Sonbai, a beautiful and confident woman whose husband is away in the city, to sleep with him. She slaps him and flees for safety to a spice factory where women grind chillies into fine powder. The aged factory guard, Abu Mian, locks the door behind her, refusing to open it to the soldiers, to the cowardly village men led by the mayor, and to the subedar himself. The town's teacher, who follows Gandhi, and a few women, led by the mayor's wife, protest ineffectually against this village-approved rape. The stage is set for a final confrontation.
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Smita Patil
Sonbai

Naseeruddin Shah
Subedar

Om Puri
Chowkidar Abu Miya

Ratna Pathak Shah
Pepper Factory Worker

Supriya Pathak
Pepper factory worker

Suresh Oberoi
Mukhiya

Neena Kulkarni
Pepper factory worker

Ram Gopal Bajaj
Owner of the Pepper factory

Benjamin Gilani
Masterji

Mohan Gokhale
Villager

Deepti Naval
Saraswati, Mukhiya's wife

Harish Patel
Pandit

Dina Pathak
Maanki, factory worker

Paresh Rawal
Villager

Raj Babbar
Sonabai's Husband

Amole Gupte
Villager