 "Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bad Girl’ Movie Review: It’s easy to be good than to be bad")
Women too can have wet dreams, and why not? It’s rare to see a film that talks about women’s desires and freedom in such a nuanced way, but Bad Girl needs to be credited for that. The film makes us believe, yet again that for a good story, you just need good craftsmen and not stars. Smashing patriarchy by not making noise isn’t easy, but Bad Girl does it just right.
Watching this movie, you will be transported to your growing up years when a young girl’s confused desire for sex and attraction towards the opposite sex was hugely looked down upon and shamed. Bad Girl is a beautifully directed film by debutant director, Varsha Bharath.
Bad Girl will make you believe that you are not alone in your struggles. Helmed by Varsha Bharath in her glorious feature directorial debut, the coming-of-age film is headlined by actor Anjali Sivaraman, playing a teenage girl navigating love and lust in Chennai. The film will make you question why a woman is often restricted, defined, and judged. I believe this film is a must watch for all girls and their parents. Bad Girl is a subtle message to the society it’s time we stop shaming young girls for exploring what touch feels like. It’s absolutely normal, though Ramya (Anjali Sivaraman) is often labelled as crazy by men who are having fun with her.
Ramya (Anjali Sivaraman), the main protagonist of the film, pulls off her role in a brilliant way. Bad Girl talks about her journey, her heartbreaks and struggles with beauty standards from her high school years to college and early thirties. The film also touches upon how during their menstrual cycle women are treated as untouchables. And not just raging hormones, Ramya is seen struggling with her parents, grandmother, and also pimples. It’s her boyfriends, and her breakups with them are what makes Ramya the person she is. She may be a bad girl to her society, but to her, she has a mind of her own and knows what is right for her. Her love-hate relationship with her mother is real too just like her raging hormones.
The message of Bad Girl is loud and clear: it’s time to stop judging and questioning women about their sexual desires. The film clearly says that women too can masturbate and can be sexually active. But sadly, women’s pleasures are rarely discussed in films. But the way Bad Girl is handled is absolutely brilliant. The film is very close to reality and at least after watching this film, society will stop shaming women for bleeding and being sexually active. And it is not a sin to be curious about your sexuality.
Rating: 3 out of 5
WATCH the trailer of Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bad Girl’ movie here:
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.