Girls Will Be Girls – A Breath of Fresh Air (Early Review)

Adolescence is a period of life providing endless inspiration for artistry. Uncertainty of the future. The hormonal changes. Societal exchanges and understanding one’s role in the community dynamic. The big screen can showcase a wide range of viewpoints. Director Shuchi Talati’s Girls Will Be Girls delivers an original take on the conventional coming-of-age narrative. In a restrictive boarding school in India, Talati presents Mira (Panigrahi), a 16-year-old top-of-the-class student who becomes the first girl to become the school’s prefect. This new role requires her to supervise the entire school and help maintain the rules applied. However, her world found itself shook upon meeting Sri (Kiron), a diplomat’s son who moved from Hong Kong to her town. When they learn more about each other, they fall in love, having to deal with the boarding school’s strict rules and Mira’s over-controlling mother, Anila (Kusruti). 

Here, Talati opts for a unique portrayal of female sexuality, deviating from the norm. She sticks to a certain level of naturalism to represent the natural feeling of exploring sexuality. There is an intrinsic curiosity to that phase of life. And when the camera mirrors Mira’s eyes, audiences can see the teenage awe. Panigrahi has a certain magnetism that brings attention to her. Mira is naïve, but her authority affects her, and people feel threatened by her power within the boarding school. The naturalism applies not only when Talati approaches sex, but also through her depiction of the power dynamics. Mira fights against the internalized sexism of the other boys in the class who will not accept punishments for a girl. The submissiveness that Anila has towards her husband that she reflects upon Mira. Sri respects and loves her, but he lies because he underestimates her. 

Through its techniques, the cinematography captures how Mira has been exposed to suffocation. Closed shots in limited spaces. Lenses that erase the background to focus on her in the mainframe. It’s a work that orbits all that universe surrounding her. Mira has so much potential that people besides her deposit all their frustrations. Anila intervenes in their relationship because no one has allowed her to discover love at Mira’s age. Eventually, all those around her deposit the guilt in Mira. Even with the breathers that Talati’s directing inserts into the film, the slow pace affects the purpose of that relationship. As the story goes forward, Sri becomes less substantial, leading to a decline in the public’s interest, leading one to question whether or not he deserves her. In a way, it is the intention here, but the relationship between he and Anila suffocates the development. While it is still fascinating, the film is ultimately at its best when the camera points at Panighrahi. 

In the end, the film thrives by showing another side of adolescence. Cinema usually portrays male sexual and inner discovery, however, Talati successfully presents the other perspective in a nuanced and touching way. Led by a powerful performance by Preeti Panigrahi, Girls Will Be Girls is an engaging coming-of-age drama and a breath of fresh air for the subgenre. 

still courtesy of Juno Films

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Pedro Lima

Brazilian film writer. He is also a producer and executive producer for Zariah Filmes. Member of the International Film Society Critics Association (IFSCA), International Documentary Association (IDA), and Gotham and Media Film Institute.