An unconventional, dialogue breaking story of two sisters, progressing to outstand over patriarchy in their own way
Netflix’s recent release, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare might not appear to be very exciting from the trailer because it is not exciting. It is subtle. It is thought-provoking and it is something more than a film made for entertainment. Of course, the film is entertaining, there is humour, there is romance and there are conversations but all of it leads to a point where things become uncomfortable to the conventional understanding of humans. Hence, the film raises bitter questions on gender norms and society.
PLOT
Dolly and Kajal are two sisters, based in Noida. Dolly is a married woman with two kids, Kajal has come to Noida in search of work. Dolly is an ambitious woman struggling in her relationship with her husband and ends up being self-sabotaging with not being able to reciprocate sexually with her husband. Kajal is a progressive woman from Bihar, who, to make ends meet, starts working as a cyber lover as Kitty at an online dating app. Both of them struggle to try to fit into conventional gender roles. The subplots also unfold strong questions on Gender Identity.
Why must you not miss watching this film?
Comes from the director of Lipstick Under my Burkha, Alankrita Srivastava and is even more conversational.
After Lipstick Under my Burkha, Alankrita Srivastava has come up with this film, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare. Both the films have two things in common, difficult remarks around gender and yes, Konkana Sen. The style, the colour pallet, the confusion in understanding gender norms are very similar to Lipstick Under My Burkha but the plot, the conversation and layers of the story are absolutely different and thought-provoking.
Among the very few films that raise subtle questions on Gender Role and Identity from a child’s perspective
In the subplot of the film, there is a layer that extensively talks about gender roles and identity. This layer talks about the attraction of a child towards the so-called feminine things. The film shows how gender roles have been stereotyped, and at the same time, how certain unconventionality in the behaviours of a child leads to problems in their self-identification.
Read more: Can we smash the patriarchy, asks the Angry Indian Goddesses? A film that everyone should watch
Women trying to prove their marriage to be Happy Marriage
Konkana, throughout the film, pretends to be happy and satisfied except the scenes when she confronts her husband in the end. Knowing that her husband is not satisfied sexually, she tries to find out the problems in herself and the reasons behind it. Whenever she is being asked of her wellbeing, she tells that she is happy and she thinks the same too. The very fact that she thinks that this is how things are supposed to be for women interests and supports her characters. It was in the end only when she tells her husband that she is tired of pretending to be happy when she is not.
Womanhood
‘Women as enemies of other women’ to ‘Woman supporting woman’, Dolly and Kitti share a very interesting and relatable relationship. A tussle of one woman disapproving the progression of another woman, calling it, “Aache Ghar ki ladkiyan ye sab kaam nhi krti” to approving Kitti, as a Cyber Lover, Dolly fights with the subliminal patriarchical ideas of society. Both Dolly and Kitty are supportive of each other. They fight, they argue and they have differences, but they support each other.
Impact with entertainment
A social film might fail to deliver its message if it doesn’t excite and entertain the audience as, in the country, the main idea of watching films is not gaining knowledge but to find an escape from monotony. This film has humour, romance, drama, wittiness yet it all becomes subtly uncomfortable, only when a viewer gets hooked to it.
Overall, the film is well-scripted, with an extremely good narrative. The performances are amazing, the roles are well sketched and reflecting. The one thing that the viewer may not like is the unfolding of the plot a little too early than required. There are times when we expect it to be revealed slowly but it becomes predictable after a time. But we have given you all the reasons to watch it because it is not entertaining but info-rtaining.
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