“Aisa lag raha hai ke thak ke ghar pahuchi hun aur maa nei darwaza khola hai”
The meticulously woven movie by Anvita Dutta, the writer, and director of the movie Qala, opens up with a strong and emotionally charged dialogue that grabs the audience’s attention and sets the tone for a psychological thriller. The opening scene of the movie prepares you for a woman’s constant struggle to carve out a place for herself in society.
Despite having a predictable plot, this movie is one of those psychological thriller movies that brings something interesting to the table every time you watch it. The movie stars Tripti Dimri as the protagonist, Qala, and Swastika Mukharjee as her mother, Urmila. The majority of the film is set in the valleys of Himachal Pradesh which is a visual treat in itself. There couldn’t be a better personification than the snow-clad mountains to depict the cold relationship the mother-daughter duo shared.
Qala is a renowned music artist at the prime of her career and just like any other person, she is not without secrets. The movie begins by providing us hints regarding Qala’s mental state, be it the arm clutching at the mention of her mother’s adopted son or the more severe, her hallucinating a man. The movie explores the need for achievement, a sense of belonging, and a struggle for these things, both physically and mentally.
On and off the movie switches to Qala’s early years with her mother in Himachal and takes us through the journey of how she became one of the celebrated artists of her time. Be it the anxiety of being replaced by a better singer – Jagan, played by debutant Babil Khan, or the helplessness of having to give into the ways of patriarchy and being sexually exploited to create a place for herself, Qala makes us feel it all.
Qala is an obedient daughter who idealizes her mother, the one who made her dream about being recognized worldwide for her music, something she was unable to achieve and which presumably only men in the family could dream of. Qala learned from her mother that it takes more effort for a woman to make her mark and she seizes every opportunity to support women’s empowerment, whether it’s asking for higher pay than the male singer, or choosing female reporters and recruiting female staff.
The appearance of a talented singer Jagan is the final nail in the coffin for Qala. Her mother’s fondness for Jagan doesn’t go unnoticed by Qala. Until Jagan, we see Qala only following her mother’s footsteps. She begins to regard him as a rival in both her professional and personal lives. In one of the conversations with Jagan, we can see the exact point where she internalizes her mother’s dream as an attempt to be accepted by her mother, the treasured thing that all child yearns for
Mujhe Bhi chaiye, apne lie ye sab, maa ko jo sunehra record chaiye, main laa ke dungi.
( I also want all of this for myself, the golden record my mother wants, I will bring it.)
Throughout the movie, Qala longs for words of encouragement from her mother. She lacks what a humanistic psychologist calls Unconditional Positive Regard. Qala’s condition of worth has been clearly communicated to her by her mother- naam ke aage pandit lagna chaiye, bai nahi (The name should end with ‘Pandit’ and not ‘bai’).
Qala’s quest to fit into what her mother wants her to seems never-ending. She is dismayed by the fact that she is always subjected to stern remarks from her mother. In one scene, Qala summons the strength to confront her mother, saying – I am your daughter, aapko pyar hona chaiye mujhese, chahe main jaisi bhi hoon, par nahi hai (I am your daughter, you should love me no matter how I am, but you don’t). This clearly illustrates what Qala was longing for, or what a child looks forward to in general.
Qala grew up watching her mother being intimate with an affluent man in exchange for professional favors for Jagan. We witness the entire process of social learning in a child in Qala, who tries to replicate the whole of it with another affluent music composer in exchange for a chance at singing. Over time we see Qala going to great lengths to modify and amend herself to meet her mother’s standards in order to receive, as Rogers put it, conditional positive regard. The need for association with her mother drives her to go astray and do things she is not particularly proud of, a route which she learned from her mother herself!
It’s no secret that Qala was experiencing emotional turmoil. She is constantly afraid that her actions may catch up with her. This depicts clearly how childhood trauma may lead to a shattered life even if a person achieves well in their career. This goes into greater detail about the importance of parenting and family in perpetuating a child’s struggles. Dimri’s visual description of symptoms and feelings throughout the film merits special mention. There is nothing physically wrong. Bas shor hai yahan – pointing to her mind – and dar hai yahan. Andar jaise kuch tut raha hai (Chaos is in mind, and fear in the heart, like something is breaking inside). The portrayal of such a tough emotion with such precision adds an organic touch to the film and allows the audience to connect with people in their lives who are going through difficult times.
From deep-running patriarchy and the struggle of a woman to find her place in society, to childhood trauma and social learning, and covering the state of mental health throughout these aspects of life, the movie has done fairly well. It has accomplished its job in demonstrating how our childhood relationships shape who we are today. To top it all off, one can be at the pinnacle of their career and have all the world’s comforts, yet still lack mental serenity. The movie features brilliant cinematography and a retro feel with exceptional lyrics, a few of which has already made their way into the masses playlists.
