Movie Review: The Great Indian Kitchen (2021)

"A wife's perspective of trying to fit into a family with extremely conservative beliefs. A heartbreakingly genuine commentary on the state of female treatment in India."

A retrospective on the state of females in India. I can't comment on the state itself, except for my absolute disgust at the backwardness of these ritual-driven folk who continue to live the way their ancestors used to. The lack of acknowledgement that times have moved on and the greater lack of accountability to change the mannerisms of their own misgivings. The Great Indian Kitchen doesn't try to expose anything to us. Everything that happens in the movie is a well-known and well practiced reality. That's what makes it so unsettling and heartbreakingly to watch.

I can never love a movie where I genuinely despise the characters but I do love what this movie stands for. The acting was truly impeccable, which eased me into being enraged at the characters. The subtle actions throughout the movie clearly established exactly who these characters are as people. Outside of pleasantries and the in the eyes of guests, they may have seemed like benevolent family members trying to help the newest member settle in but it was anything but that.

Among the many things that the movie does brilliantly, three things stand out the most to me. The first is the lack of names given. Nimisha is just a wife and Suraj is just a husband. The power behind choosing to not give a name helps to democratize the role of Nimisha as not just a wife in a movie but a representation of the Indian wife in the typical Indian family. As clear as it is, it helps establish the feelings of the makers of the movie as well.

The second was the brilliant usage, or well lack thereof, of music. The lack of music forces the viewers eyes onto the story unfolding. We get to see several beautifully shot silent sequences of the Wife working or doing tasks and chores. We can see her disgust growing bit by bit but we can't hear it. In today's movies that are littered with informational cues that show the viewer how to feel, The Great Indian Kitchen instead deprives us and forces the viewers themselves to think and feel about every scene. The lack of music also makes awkward scenes even more unbearable to watch.

All this compounded was in helping me better pay attention to the scenes which did have background music. Of these, there were 3. The first was where everything began, i.e., the wedding scene. This section was complete with awkward smiles, happy family members, playful ceremonies and complaining guests. The second scene was the plot releasing scene. This marked the point where the Wife got done with everything and decided to make her grand move. With a stroke of brilliance and a background music of a prayer going on in the house, Nimisha was able to bait the males of her family into the trap she laid and safely exit. This was genuinely a very powerful move, one that laid the foundation for the finale. The finale is one where we see Nimisha's flare as she is a dance teacher now and helping her students with a performance as a woman in chains is scene in the backdrop (who eventually sits on a throne). This scene to end the movie left me in a mentally shook state.

The third and final aspect that makes The Great Indian Kitchen what it is, is the cinematography. This movie is a visual treat. It's one hundred minutes of the most tenderly put together shots in a coherent manner to bring the characters and story to life. The usage of stills depicts just how mundane life can get and how it builds up expectations for an event that's almost never coming. The many camera shots taken from above the characters help us experience an eagle view of the ongoings in the family. Finally, the usage of somber colours throughout until the ending helps viewers also sense a change in direction. Everything was calculated to perfection. This is the cleanest Indian movie I have ever seen.

While the message is simple and obvious, it's the fact that they had to deliver it. It's the fact that they did it so brilliantly. The movie is a rare modern day classic that doesn't look down on the intelligence of a viewer. Instead, challenging them to think about the several microtransactions that caused the plot to progress. In a truly character-driven movie, The Great Indian Kitchen managed to maintain its dedication to being a perfectly produced film. This can be exemplified by how none of the scenes were redundant in the grand scheme of things. There were never any unnecessary details that sidetracked the plot. For all intents and purposes, The Great Indian Kitchen is a movie watchers' treat. This was Alliteration Articulation and I hope to see you soon!