“An impressive narrative that’s both fragile and powerful”

At a conservative boarding school in the Indian Himalayas, a headstrong teenager named Mira (Preeti Panigrahi) becomes the first ever girl to be named Head Prefect—and the responsibility is one the ambitious student takes seriously. On behalf of the faculty, she lectures anyone not following the rules, including reprimanding the girls whose uniforms don’t follow the dress code and trying to change the problematic behaviour of the boys, who are rarely held to the same standards and receive lacklustre punishments. Unbeknownst to Mira, her duties will soon be disrupted by her burgeoning desires, as the arrival of charismatic transfer student Sri (Kesav Binoy Kiron) awakens something within her, as well as adds a complex layer to her already delicate relationship with her mother, Anila (Kani Kusruti), who never got to come of age herself. 

Even though Mira tries to hide and downplay her budding interest in Sri, her mother is much more attentive than Mira presumes. To Mira’s surprise, Anila allows the two classmates to meet up as long as it happens in her home under her supervision. At first, this is a fruitful arrangement for all parties. Sri is polite and respectful—attributes Anila appreciates—and as long as she approves of him, it will be easier for Mira and Sri to continue meeting. However, the more time Sri spends at their house, the more bizarre their relationship dynamic gets. Gradually, a rift emerges between Anila and Mira, which deepens with each eye roll and aggrieved gaze as they compete for Sri’s attention. While Mira seems less surprised by her mother’s reaction, she finds the development of Sri’s behaviour baffling. Suddenly, Sri appears to enjoy Anila’s company even though Mira is present and he consistently takes Anila’s side — all things which make Mira feel dismissed and viewers uncomfortable. 

Despite its charm, one of the most notable aspects of Girls Will Be Girls is how it dares to stay within this uneasy ambiguity. Although some deeds are more subtle—like Anila and Sri staying up late to talk—the unease grows increasingly more upsetting. A dancing scene where Anila and Mira compete for attention is potentially the most unsettling, with the scene of them all feeding each other pieces of cake a close runner-up. Since the vast majority of the tension unravels within the same walls, the way these acts are captured is just as important as the acts themselves. Cinematographer Jih-E Peng masterfully utilises the corners and doors of the house to intensify the feeling of competition between the different parties. From the day Sri is welcomed into Anila’s home, the space becomes a foreign battleground where the separation between the characters is often mirrored in how they are framed within shots. This is particularly evident in one shot where Anila and Sri are placed together at a table, while Mira observes them from the kitchen in the background.

Although the intricacies of the mother-daughter relationship have been explored before, Shuchi Talati’s debut feature film shows a complexity rarely portrayed. Mira is intelligent but less so in life experience, and there is more to Anila than Mira recognises. Although this is very common for someone her age, Mira struggles to see her mother as being anything other than that, which naturally makes things very difficult when Sri—an outsider—approaches Anila differently. Instead of questioning the boy she fancies, it’s easier to fault the mother she already feels contempt for. Yet, if one looks beyond differences, Anila and Mira are very similar in their struggle to exist freely. While Mira battles the pressures of being an ideal student, Anila finds it tough to see her daughter enjoy the freedom that wasn’t offered to her. When watching Mira she struggles to see anything else but the experiences she was denied herself growing up. Even though Sri’s arrival causes pain, he is the catalyst for a newfound understanding between mother and daughter.

Talati’s film is doubtlessly peculiar—just when one might think to have it all figured out, it takes a surprising turn. It’s a challenging tightrope to walk, but the story finds balance in its fearless portrayal of the aching intensity of adolescence, its layered mother-daughter relationship, its exploration of uneven gender power dynamics, and the conflicts that arise between the obligation of duty and the desire to explore personal liberty. The film captures its complex relationships with nuance and thoughtfulness, heightened by the earnest acting performances. With a story that originates from a place of empathy rather than judgement, Talati has crafted an impressive narrative that’s both fragile and powerful. While coming-of-age narratives generally offer few surprises for viewers, Girls Will Be Girls proves to be a healing and heartfelt film that feels genuine despite depicting familiar experiences and sentiments. 

Director: Shuchi Talati 

Screenplay: Shuchi Talati 

Producers: Richa Chadha, Claire Chassagne, Shuchi Talati

Cast: Preeti Panigrahi, Kani Kusruti, Kesav Binoy Kiron

Cinematographer: Jih-E Peng

Editor: Amrita David

Release Date: January 20, 2024 (Sundance Film Festival), February 1, 2024 (Gothenburg Film Festival), March 21, 2024 (Sofia Film Festival)