Girls Will Be Girls Movie Review: Shuchi Talati's Award-Winning Coming-Of-Age Saga Is Awkward And Poignant

On 18 Dec 2024 14:54:23

Writer-director Shuchi Talati's debut rests on the capable shoulders of her two leads, Kani Kusruti and Preeti Panigrahi,

Writer-director Shuchi Talati's debut rests on the capable shoulders of her two leads, Kani Kusruti and Preeti Panigrahi, who bring home her affecting screenplay. The film had its South Asia premiere at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024. It is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

About Girls Will Be Girls

Every viewing of Shuchi Talati's excellent Girls will be Girls, produced by Richa Chadha, will probably elicit a different response. The coming-of-age film focused on a mother and daughter is tender, moving and nuanced. The period story is set around a boarding school where rules and regulations reign supreme. But through them, these women break free, to live a little.

Girls will be Girls: Plot

The film introduces us to Mira Kishore (Preeti Panigrahi) just as she has been named Head Prefect. The 18-year-old is a model student and a stickler for rules, and eventually we'll see how the pressure eventually gets to her. Mira is intrigued by new student Srinivas (Kesav Binoy Kiron), eventually forming a romantic relationship with him, under her mother Anila's (Kani Kusruti) watchful eyes. Over time, both Mira and Anila's relationship with Sri changes, and brings them both to a breaking point.

Girls Will Be Girls: Writing and Direction

The complicated bond between mother and daughter is deftly explored by Shuchi Talati in her directorial debut. She captures the awkward emotions of teenage Mira, who is both grown-up as an authority figure and prefect, yet is clueless on how to embark on her first real relationship. Meanwhile, her mother Anila, a former student at the same school, is enthusiastic about supporting her daughter, but slowly we learn that maybe she had to grow up too fast as well.

The period drama pushes forward the hypocrisy of that time, when hostel girls are held to a higher standards, and the boys will just be boys, unfortunately. The feature, which is mostly in English, drives home this point towards with the finale with a disquieting scene on Teacher's Day.

Girls Will Be Girls: Performances

At its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year, Girls will be Girls won two awards. Preeti Panigraphi received the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting and the film took home the Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic. The newcomer's performance is incredibly endearing and pure. It'll remind you of our own teenage experiences in different stages.

Mira's experiences with Kusruti's Anila are definitely unique as the two somehow find themselves in an odd rivalry over Sri's attention. Kusruti too nails Anila's conflicting emotions, of wanting to be her teenage daughter's friend, but also remain in control as her mother as well. She doesn't always balance it. Kesav Binoy Kiron is also charming as Sri who holds both women in his thrall.

Girls Will Be Girls: Critique

Shown in 4:3 aspect ratio, Girls will be Girls is like a memory that unfolds over time. The narrative is entirely from the female perspective, both in front and behind the camera, and it taps into emotions we don't usually see explored, including loneliness and the anxiety to be perfect all the time. What I'll most remember about Talati's Girls will be Girls will be the last scene which is the perfect ending to this poignant saga.

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Girls Will Be Girls Movie Review: Shuchi Talati's Award-Winning Coming-Of-Age Saga Is Awkward And Poignant

About Girls Will Be Girls

Girls will be Girls: Plot

Girls Will Be Girls: Writing and Direction

Girls Will Be Girls: Performances

Girls Will Be Girls: Critique

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