I didn’t get a chance to see this one when it was in theaters, so it was one I periodically searched for until it finally came up on streaming services. I finally had a chance to see it on Amazon Prime, and it’s fantastic!
Ria dreams of becoming a stuntwoman, but no one seems to believe in her except her older sister Lena. But when Lena starts dating a too-good-to-be-true rich guy and dating quickly turns to engagement, Ria smells trouble; she takes it upon herself to rescue Lena from the handsome, charming Salim.
This is the feature debut for writer/director Nida Manzoor, who created the excellent We Are Lady Parts, and Polite Society sizzles from start to finish. I love following Ria as a driven, imaginative, contrary protagonist. She views her life like the action films she longs to be a part of, and a number of scenes blur the lines between reality and martial-arts-laced fantasy sequences. The movie keeps you guessing as to whether things are really as she sees them. Have Salim and his mom gotten their hooks into Lena for some nefarious purpose and only Ria can save her? Or is Ria just searching for an excuse to keep her sister from moving on without her? Further complicating things is that Lena is on a “break” from art school and not sure if she’s going to go back—if Lena gives up on her dream, what does that say about Ria’s?
I just can’t say enough great things about this movie. The action is super cool while also offering up some fight choreography tinged with humor. In addition to the well-versed-in-tropes fight scenes, I love how it’s emphasized in further ways that Ria treats her life like a film—to that end, the score is used to especially good effect. The film is so funny, with tons of great banter that’s rooted in the specificity of the characters, and it brings out even more humor through its editing and soundtrack. Amid all the action and jokes, it also has some heartfelt things to say about family, growing up, and dreams.
Priya Kansara is wonderful as Ria—she’s funny, badass, and surly, and the story knows just when to let us glimpse behind her tough exterior and show us her vulnerabilities. Ritu Arya (who I recognize from Doctor Who’s “Fugitive of the Judoon”) does a nice job as Lena. I enjoy that, while she’s the object of Ria’s “mission,” Lena herself takes an active role and has her own perspective in the story. The two actresses have simply glorious sibling chemistry together and knock it out of the park in their shared scenes.
The rest of the cast is topnotch as well. I like the nuance we see with Shobu Kapoor and Jeff Mirza as Ria and Lena’s parents—they love their daughters and want what’s best for them, but they don’t always go about that in the way the girls need. Akshay Khanna is effective as Salim, Lena’s dreamboat guy and Ria’s worst nightmare, and Nimra Buchra (who recently played Najma on Ms. Marvel) is great as Salim’s very involved mother. Rounding out the cast are Shona Babayemi as a bully at Ria’s school and Seraphina Beh and Ella Bruccoleri (Sister Frances from Call the Midwife!) as Ria’s friends, a couple of goofy besties who are up for all kinds of shenanigans but are still willing to confront Ria when they think she’s going too far.
Warnings
Violence, language, sexual references (including brief nudity,) drinking, and thematic elements.
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