What Is the Story About?
Directed by Lijin Lose, Her is an anthology film that revolves around five women from different socio-economic backgrounds. While Anamika faces an unusual situation en route to a job interview, a popular YouTuber Reshma leads a dual life on and off screen. If Abhinaya is all set to enter wedlock with a college sweetheart, another software employee Ruchi is regularly judged for her choices. An elderly woman Santha strives for identity in her marriage with Vijaykumar.
Analysis
Short film 1 – Stars Aishwarya Rajesh, Guru Somasundaram and others
Anamika, who’s repeatedly advised to get married for her ‘safety’, has a job interview to attend. She struggles to reach the venue with most options working out of favour. After boarding an auto, an awkward situation prompts her to use a washroom. The woman’s problems compound with the presence of perverted men around her and the lack of safe public spaces.
Lijin Jose’s short has an interesting, pragmatic premise where the men and the patriarchal society around her are metaphorically referred to as ants, while also batting for clean, safe bathrooms. Excepting a few flashes of brilliance in the idea and Aishwarya Rajesh and Shiva Somasundaram’s earnest performances, the filmmaking is generally bland and too direct.
Short film 2 – Stars Ramya Nambeesan, Rajesh Madhavan, Rony David
A popular YouTuber Reshma Satheesh is an embodiment of idealism on the screen – woke, politically correct and someone who can do wrong. However, as a parent, wife and the founder of a production house, her off-screen lifestyle and choices are in stark contrast with her image on social media. When a jewellery photoshoot unexpectedly gets cancelled, she comes to terms with reality.
Lijin Jose is extremely critical and satirical of the YouTube influencer culture in this segment that discusses fake image building, dual personalities and to what extent online celebs go to chase popularity. The hypocrisy in Reshma’s life comes to the fore effectively due to Ramya Nambeesan’s feisty performance. Rajesh Madhavan and Rony David too deliver the goods in brief roles.
Short film 3 – Stars Prathap Pothen, Urvashi and others
Vijayakumar and Santha are an elderly couple without children. On their marriage anniversary, Vijayakumar gets hold of an Alexa-enabled device and is obsessed with it, so much so that he ignores his wife’s presence in the household and struggles to live without internet when he’s out on a trip. Santha employs an unconventional trick to remind her husband about his priorities.
The concept behind the short film is pertinent, but the on-screen translation is mostly vague. It showcases how adults could have a child-like enthusiasm in exploring a new gadget and lose sight of reality. The story suggestively hints that the man has been treating his better half more like a gadget all these years. Prathap Pothen and Urvashi’s experience don’t come of great use in the film.
Short film 4 – Stars Lijimol Jose, Ananth Gojo Antony, Mala Parvathy and others
Anoop and Abhinaya, who’ve been in a platonic relationship since their college years, decide to get married eventually. While Abhinaya has her doubts about the relationship, she’s convinced about the marriage proposal upon Anoop’s return from the US. In a bid to test their compatibility, the couple uses the excuse of a pre-wedding holiday and tries to enjoy a calm holiday.
In another instance of under-wrought characters and poorly developed conflicts, the short film doesn’t quite cast a spell on viewers, despite discussing a pertinent topic like physical compatibility between a couple prior to marriage. Though it’s hard to fault Lijimol and Ananth for their performances, the execution is simplistic and dull. Better writing with a touch of wit could’ve salvaged this.
Short film 5 – Stars Parvathy, Sreeram Ramachandran, Sidharth Varma
Ruchi is a modern-day corporate employee who lives away from her parents and has plans to move abroad with her partner soon. While rushing to attend an office meeting, she gets flustered and remains indifferent to the plight of her maid, neighbours and the security staff at her apartment. In the middle of a work presentation, she suddenly returns to her house. All’s not well.
The short film showcases the many judgements that career-driven women face for their lifestyle choices – from immediate family members and the world beyond them. Parvathy is an ideal choice to bring Ruchi to life in the story that also holds a mirror to the mechanical, robotic lives people lead in the metros. Despite a few anxious moments, the film struggles to make an impression.
Music and Other Departments?
Govind Vasantha’s music is a breath of fresh air, remaining breezy and life-like, without trying to do much to alter the momentum of the stories. Chandru Selvaraj’s cinematography, capturing women from various walks of life and age groups, stays true to the needs of the story, working in muted colours minus any sense of exaggeration. Archana Vasudev’s stories do have merit in terms of their intent, but the characters are not fleshed out well and some nuances are lost in translation. Editor Kiran Das ensures a slick narrative without major slip-ups.
Highlights?
Basic ideas behind the stories
Technical finesse, neat performances
The attempt to connect the short films and build a common thread
Drawbacks?
Bland filmmaking
Lack of nuance in the writing, characterisation
Dull screenplay
Did I Enjoy It?
Not much
Will You Recommend It?
No, it is neither novel nor gripping
Her Movie Review by Binged Bureau