Darlings, which was directed by Jasmeet K. Reen and stars Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, and Rohan Mathews, is a daringly dark but inspirational movie about survivors of domestic violence.
The Netflix streaming movie explores the delicate relationships between Badrunissa Shaikh (also known as Badru), her alcoholic husband Hamza, and themselves. This movie is incredibly watchable this weekend thanks to Vijay’s haunting look, Alia’s commanding presence on screen, and Shah’s subtle acting.
In “Darlings,” the normalization of abuse in many households is carefully explored. This is especially evident in the scene where Badru cooks for Hamza in the morning despite the fact that he violently beat her the night before. Badru forgives Hamza after he apologizes to her, repeating the cycle of violence.
The plot of the film keeps going in circles, making it more of a tiresome drama than a thrilling thriller. Through their outstanding performances and chemistry, Shefali and Alia unquestionably steal the show, making up for the somewhat slow pacing.
Overall we can this is a movie worth watching. It centers around important issues like domestic abuse that are normalized in the sub-continental culture. A movie portraying women’s empowerment was much needed.
