Her movie review: Urvashi, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Aishwarya Rajesh’s film is insincere and performative

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Interestingly, Lijin and writer Archana Vasudev ensure that each storyline retains its distinct tone and individuality, without significant overlap, yet the narratives are subtly intertwined through coincidences or certain shared elements. While some of the characters face life-altering challenges, others deal with seemingly minor inconveniences; however, a closer look reveals that even these smaller struggles hold profound significance within the context of each one’s personal life.

The film opens with Anamika rushing to attend a crucial PSC interview, after a rough start to her day, which includes a quarrel over the phone with a loved one who disapproves of her pursuing this job. Following an impressive animated title sequence, accompanied by a motivating track composed by Govind Vasantha, the first shot in the film features a line of fire ants, known for causing a burning sensation when they sting. While ironing her saree during the call, Anamika notices an ant crawling onto the fabric, almost intruding on her conversation, much like a swargathile katturumb (a Malayalam adage meaning “black ant in heaven,” referring to unwelcome intrusions). Though she gently removes the ant without harming it, as with many intruders, it soon returns, sticking to her saree unnoticed.

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On her way to the interview centre, the ant starts biting her between her thighs, causing immense discomfort. Her attempts to find a restroom for relief are thwarted by the lack of accessible options in male-dominated public spaces. Desperate, she takes an auto-rickshaw for privacy, only to face further harassment from the pervert driver. Anamika’s story poignantly shows the challenges women face in even the simplest of situations, where removing a biting ant from one’s body is a vexing task in a world rife with predatory gazes. On a broader level, it also serves as an analogy for the nosy tendencies of society, where boundaries — both physical and personal — are constantly violated.

While the story of influencer-cum-movie producer Reshma highlights the elitist behaviour of the glitterati, exploiting anyone and everyone for personal gain without a second thought, Santha’s arc also shows the importance of intimacy and communication in romantic relationships, regardless of age. At the same time, Abhinaya’s story explores the critical role of sexual synergy before committing to lifelong partnerships like marriage as well. Ruchi’s tale, on the other hand, is deeply personal, chronicling a chaotic morning in her life that culminates in a severe panic attack and mental breakdown-inducing situation — tragically on an important day at work.

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In its runtime of just about 97 minutes, Her does offer a glimpse into the lives of five different women but, unfortunately, comes across as insincere and performative. The movie lacks an organic flow, with elements seemingly inserted just for the sake of it rather than purpose. As the movie begins, we see Aishwarya Rajesh breaking the fourth wall. While this can be seen as a testament to the subjects the movie deals with, its needlessness is too glaring. This choice is further undermined by Anamika’s second fourth-wall break at the end when her storyline intersects with Ruchi’s. These moments, instead of adding depth, create an unwarranted distance between the characters and the audience. Even without these shots, the essence of Anamika and Ruchi’s storylines is clear, making these artistic choices feel redundant. Moreover, since not all the stories in the movie engage in direct discourse with the audience, these fourth-wall breaks feel disjointed and poorly executed.

While Lijin succeeds in conveying the tension and discomfort that Anamika experiences, her storyline as a whole lacks cohesion, feeling like a collection of disconnected scenes devoid of any depth. Meanwhile, the depiction of a few token “perverts” in her world serves no meaningful purpose, as these characters and their actions are inadequately written into the story. Aishwarya’s performance fares well in high-tension moments but falls short in others, particularly during the opening phone conversation, which comes across as contrived and unnatural.

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The portrayal of social media celebrity Reshma is another weak point. Although her hyper personality requires exaggeration, Ramya’s performance feels extremely amateurish. Her character and arc feel excessively artificial, as though shaped by superficial observations from social media trends, resulting in an uninspired and lacklustre arc here. Unfortunately, this issue extends to the Abhinaya track too, which suffers from similar shortcomings.

In contrast, Santha’s arc stands out as the film’s most compelling one, thanks to Urvashi’s masterful and natural performance. Paired with Pratap Pothen (in a posthumous role) as her husband, the two share a delightful on-screen chemistry. Urvashi’s flawless dialogue delivery, unmatched by the younger actors in the cast, underscores why she is an absolute GOAT. She beautifully portrays Santha’s subtle jealousy towards an Alexa device her husband interacts with more than her, imbuing the character with layers of depth through even the slightest gestures.

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While Parvathy’s story is also compelling, bolstered by her strong and deeply personal performance, Lijin and Archana fail to fully capitalise on its potential. Towards the end, the film reveals Anamika and Ruchi as romantic partners and the insincerity, apparent in other parts of the movie, becomes all the more glaring here. The depiction of their lesbian relationship feels like a token gesture, seemingly added to tick off a checklist of elements typically associated with feminist films.

This performativity also prevents Her from achieving the depth and resonance of other feminist works, such as B 32 Muthal 44 Vare (2023). Instead, it feels like a calculated attempt to capitalise on the popularity of feminist narratives, in/advertently trivialising the very movement it seeks to represent. On the technical front, the film benefits from Govind Vasantha’s evocative music and Sameera Saneesh’s excellent costume design, both of which provide moments of polish in an otherwise uneven effort.

Her movie cast: Urvashi, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Nambessan, Lijomol Jose
Her movie director: Lijin Jose
Her movie rating: 1.5 stars