Sister Midnight
Karan Kandhari‘s Sister Midnight is a visually arresting feature that’s coated in a delightfully dark and offbeat comedic style. Its madcap plot may lose some of its momentum towards the end, but that doesn’t stop this film from being a whole lot of fun from the outset.
The plot follows newly married couple Uma (Radhika Apte) and Gopal (Ashok Pathak) begin their new lives together in Mumbai. With Gopal spending his time drinking with his friends whenever he’s not at work, Uma is left to pass the days in their one-room home alone, contending with her unwelcoming neighbour (Chhaya Kadam), while finding ways to alleviate the emptiness brought about by the long hours and loveless marriage. Her mounting frustrations soon cause something to snap inside her. She begins to hallucinate before discovering a more macabre way to remedy her boredom.
Despite Gopal’s apparent indifference towards his new wife, both characters are as lonely as each other within their relationship. Kandhar’s film acts partly as a critique of arranged marriage where he successfully generates sympathy towards two strangers who’ve been thrust into a situation neither of them wants to be in. Uma’s defiance against what a housewife should be gives events a feminist edge that’s as sharp as its wicked humour. Apte’s phenomenal performance is a huge part of what makes this film work as well as it does. By exaggerating Uma’s quirks while keeping the character relatable, viewers can keep rooting for her until the end.
It’s only when stop-motion animals are introduced that the filmmaker’s style comes into its own. Blending the real with the surreal, Kandhar frames the increasingly peculiar happenings within brightly coloured static shots and accompanies them with upbeat country songs. The result is a playfulness that’s reminiscent of Wes Anderson mixed with elements of horror. After the narrative hits a crucial moment, however, the filmmaker seems unsure about where to go next during an aimless final stretch.
Although the magic begins to rub off before the movie arrives at the end credits, its wry performance from its lead star and unwavering cinematic flare will nevertheless leave viewers grinning wildly during the final shot.
Andrew Murray
Sister Midnight is released nationwide on 14th March 2025.
Watch the trailer for Sister Midnight here:
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