 Originality is the basic ingredient of a Shyam Benegal film. Whether it is Nishant, Mammo or Sardari Begum. He is the one film makers, who can risk making a parallel movie with the elements of mainstream cinemas, and Welcome to Sajjanpur is one such venture of Benegal that speaks about the director's brilliance in film making. Realism that Benegal has approached in filming Sajjanpur is quite commendable. The real look of north Indian villages and the regional dialect that every character in the movie has adopted remind the audience of Nadiya Ke Paar, Mirch Masala and Omkara. Each and every actor in the movie has got into the skin of the character and and the element of humor that the character has, is the USP of the film. After making series of serious films, Benegal has tried comedy this time and has succeeded in it.
 Mahadev (Shreyas Talpade) is the only educated boy in Sajjanpur, who wishes to become a novelist, but in turn becomes a letter writer for the villagers. His persuasive writing has the strength that helps the villagers in getting their work done. Whether he writes a love letter for a local compounder (Ravi Kishen) or an official letter to the district collector, he pens down his emotion in the letter and that works like a magic. His skill is also used by an eunuch-Munni Bai- who thinks of contesting the village panchayat election to outclass the local mafia (Yashpal Sharam).
But the letter which the poor Mahadev writes with full diligence is the one of Kamla (Amrita Rao) for her husband. Kamla is Mahadev's childhood love, who is now married to Banshi (Kunal Kapoor) who has left Sajjanpur and lives in Mumbai to eke out a livelihood for himself and his family.
 Mahadev develops a lustful love for Kamla and plays prank in all her husband's letter to create a rift between the couple. But things don't turn out in his favour.Finally, Mahadev's wish to become a novelist comes true and in his first novel he writes his experience as a letter writer in Sajjanpur village. He mentions all the humorous elements, that he came across in his unique profession and explains how difficult the job of letter writer is at the end of the movie.
Benegal has depicted every minute detail of village life in the film; the dressing style, the local dialect, the superstition and the daily life of villagers have been beautifully presented. But it is the comedy and the element of humor attached with every character that make Sajjanpur.... a worth watching movie. Whether it is the group of eunuches, who want their leader to win the election, a girl's marriage to a dog or Mahadev's infatuation for Kamla, every secene makes audience laugh. Music of the movie is soft and quite soothing, except the eunuch song during the election, which is a sarcasm on democracy. The movie is fabulous and a must watch for those who have forgotten the touch of the famous Indian villages.
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