Last year, director Rima Das premiered her film “Village Rockstars,” which went on to become India’s official submission to the 91st Academy Awards. In her latest feature, “Bulbul Can Sing,” Das once again served as her own crew, wearing the hats of writer, director, camera operator, producer, and editor simultaneously. The result is a personal and complex portrait that takes a closer look at relationships, sexuality, and patriarchal power structures, through the lens of a young girl growing up in a village in Assam, India.
Like most teenagers her age, Bulbul (Arnali Das) prefers to hang out with her friends more than anything else. In fact she spends most of her days with her two best friends, Bonny (Bonita Thakuriya) and Suman, or “Sumu” (Manoranjoan Das), going to school or just exploring the outdoors with them. At the same time, Bulbul also begins developing a relationship with a sweet boy at school who woos her with poetry.
Despite the carefree nature of their day to day activities, and the close bond they have built, the trio is unable to keep the realities of the world from knocking at their door. Bulbul faces pressure from her father to become a successful singer, and as young women, Bulbul and Bonny receive constant reminders about how they are expected to behave. Sumu, who is struggling with issues of sexuality, is often bullied by other boys for being perceived as too feminine. The intensity of community policing comes to a head after an evening when Bulbul and Bonny meet up with their dates and are aggressively shamed by a group of men who come upon them, and must deal with the fallout.
Using the microcosm of this village and the lives of these young characters, Das expertly shines a light on the kind of toxic masculinity and moral policing that occur in communities worldwide. Although Bulbul is in a time of exploration in her life, she is forced to live within the confines of the male-dominated society around her. In an interview, Das elaborated on her perception of this type of policing: “The characters are teenagers in high school, it is natural that they will want to explore their sexual desires, date people, and want to make out. That is what puberty does to you. It is very disturbing when something as natural as this is scrutinized, scandalized, and made into gossip.”
Despite the heavy topics explored in the film, “Bulbul Can Sing” is ultimately a story of resilience. When asked about the title, Das explained, “It’s a metaphor. It’s a hope. It’s hope that life goes on. The world is beautiful, although there is so much trouble. The world is not the way you expect, but if you really want to you can survive, you can live your life,” she said. “We cannot avoid or escape, but we can sing.”
“Bulbul Can Sing” was an official selection at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and Busan International Film Festival.
Upcoming screening:
November 9 and 12, 2018 – AFI Fest – Los Angeles, California
December 4 and 8, 2018 – Singapore International Film Festival – Singapore
Published monthly, Under the Radar offers a chance for us to highlight works by and/or about women that haven’t received big releases or significant coverage in the press, but are wholly worthy of attention. To recommend a title for this feature, please email womenandhollywoodinterns@gmail.com.
