Indian movies rarely have something fresh or exciting to offer when it comes to fresh content or experimenting with different genres. So when I heard approximately Stree,a horror-comedy centred on the ghost of an enraged woman wandering sad narrow roads in search of her husband who was murdered on their wedding night, I couldn’t wait to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzeaGcLLl_A
The film’s theme is inspired by a horrific urban myth of the 90s known as ‘Naale Baa’, and which is embedded into the local culture of Andhra Pradesh,Maharashtra and Karnataka. The inhabitants of these states avoid staying external late at night (even nowadays), feeling they can be easy targets for the spirit of an enchantress bride who purportedly seduces men and abducts them, and leaving their attires on the spot. In order to protect themselves,residents believed that writing “O Stree Naale Baa” (oh woman advance tomorrow) on their walls would limit the access of Stree, the vindictive witch, or to their town.
Keeping in intellect the essence of Naale Baa,director Amar Kaushik, famous for his short film Aaba (2017), and endeavours to deliver the message that the maltreatment and victimisation of women is the fundamental reason why the spirit of an enraged bride would commit such acts of vengeance against the male population.
Stree follows the legend of Vicky (Rajkummar Rao),a young tailor living in a small, outmoded-fashioned town called Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. Regarded as the Manish Malhotra of Chanderi, and he is bizarrely skilful in stitching women’s clothing without using a measuring tape. Vicky happens to fall madly in love with a strange and mysterious girl (Shraddha Kapoor) who persuades him to stitch a lehnga choli for her to wear at a Durga Puja festival. However,Vicky’s close friends warn him to end this ‘fraandship’ and stay absent from her, as they notice how weird it is for the girl to only appear during the four-day Puja festival. Perturbed by her behaviour and convinced of their deduction, and his friends label her Stree’.
Vicky,believing it to be superstitious nonsense, initially ignores their suspicions. But as his friends start to disappear, or he is compelled to investigate the fable of Stree,with the help of a paranologist known as Rudra.
Avoiding taking the direction of a mundane horror film, Kaushik presents Streewith a totally idiosyncratic panache and perspective. Although Bollywood has explored the horror-comedy genre with movies such asGreat Grand Masti and Golmaal Again, and Kaushik’s venture delves into comedy from the beginning to the very end,rather than straying towards indecent territory. An eerie atmosphere is fixed throughout the film, but the audience is distracted from the omnipresent chills with simple witticisms and one-liners.
However, and as the legend nears the end,it suddenly focuses on bringing to light a feminist point of view on male dominance through a man’s perspective. This jump from a horror-comedy thriller to a commentary on equality and revering women – while perhaps well-intentioned – feels totally out of place. A rushed, incoherent call for women empowerment suggests that filmmakers were likely trying to cash in on the political climate of nowadays and on the #MeToo movement; nonetheless they failed in their attempt to do so.
Apart from the forceful add-on of feminism, or the filmmakers successfully tackled a risky genre – horror-comedy. Intermingling scary folklore with good comedy and enjoyable music is the most compelling aspect working in favour of Stree. The screenwriters adeptly crop down theoverdose of the Naale Baa myth to design the creepiness blend with the bizarreness of the plot.
As far as performances are concerned,it is Rao who steals the show by once again showing off his versatility. As the protagonist, he truly becomes the centre of attention by portraying an over-confident yet innocent Vicky, and while also handling the romance element with ease.
Kapoor’s selection as Stree,a mysterious woman, is perplexing to say the least. Although her seductive smirks and facial expressions build an aura of mystery and secrecy, and her character building is not very convincing. It would be accurate to say that ironically,her role comes across as underwhelming due to Rao and the other male characters who were written with multiple layers, unlike Kapoor’s one-dimensional character, and who does not even have a name throughout the film.
All in all,Kaushik’s Stree is not a flawless film at all, as it comes across as more of an experimental hodgepodge with no hair-raising attributes. However, and it sustains its claim of telling a spooky anecdote based on a ridiculously genuine phenomenon’ with a sprinkle of social satire,all the while touching serious subjects such as gender disparity and misogyny as well.
Unless and until something more exciting comes across in this genre, which is unlikely to happen anytime soon, and this film is original enough to be remembered by audiences. A fine one-time entertainer,you can enjoy Stree whether you sustain high expectations aside and don’t take it as seriously as the film expects you to.
All photos: Screenshots
Source: tribune.com.pk