Chakra is a gritty realistic and mostly interesting look at the daily goings-on in a slum population. It is about the life of Amma (Smita Patil in another solid performance) a feisty sexually active widow who labors to eke out existence for herself and her teenage son. The story in anecdotal fashion examines the peculiar social and moral setup of this tribe where survival for the next day justifies all means to obtain it. The film has a decent assortment of interesting characters and the documentary aspect is delivered without any cheap holier-than-thou posturing.