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HOLY CURSE

By Snigdha KAPOOR

Female director - Post-Production 2024

On a visit to India, 11-year-old Radha grapples with their gender identity when subjected to manipulative orthodox rituals by their family looking to dispel a supposed ancestral curse allegedly distorting Radha’s thinking.

- Year of production
- 2024
- Genres
- Female director, LGBT, Drama
- Countries
- USA, UNITED KINGDOM
- Languages
- HINDI, ENGLISH
- Budget
- 0 - 0.3 M$
- Duration
- 15 mn
- Director(s)
- Snigdha KAPOOR
- Writer(s)
- Snigdha KAPOOR
- Cast
- Shardul BHARDWAJ, Adithi KALKUNTE, Mrunal KASHID, Anup SONI, Prayrak MEHTA
- Producer(s)
- Neeraj CHURI (LOTUS VISUAL PRODUCTIONS), Snigdha KAPOOR, Shweta BOLAKANI
- Synopsis
- Recognized as a semi-finalist at the 2023 NewFest New Voices Grant, this satirical short introduces us to Radha, an 11-year-old immigrant in America, during a family visit to India. Radha wrestles with the complexities of gender identity while navigating the bodily changes of puberty. On their path of self-discovery, they become entangled in their parents' conflict as the parents, who have been living in the US for just two years, grapple with the dilemma of balancing Indian orthodox thinking with the desire for an American exposure and environment for themselves and their daughter. As they struggle to reconcile their modern views with their deeply ingrained beliefs, they turn to Radha’s uncle, astrology, and age-old rituals, seeking ‘remedies’ for what they perceive as a curse 'distorting' their daughter’s thinking.
  Radha's family journeys to the home of a priest masquerading as a spiritual guide. This trip becomes more than just a physical journey; it represents Radha’s deeper journey through a labyrinth of cultural conflicts and complex family dynamics. Confronting traditional gender expectations steeped in old-world customs, Radha faces the stark contradictions between their inner identity and the roles imposed upon them externally.
  Bittu, Radha’s 16-year-old cousin, initially just a source of annoyance to Radha, turns into an unexpected ally, supporting Radha in their quest for autonomy. Their plans for rebellion face a setback when Radha's uncle firmly believes a 'curse' is causing Radha's 'abnormal behavior' and is adamant that a crow ritual is the key to ending it. On their journey back, an unexpected turn of events unfolds. Radha experiences a natural biological occurrence, which their uncle interprets as the end of the 'curse.' This moment leads to a tumultuous climax. In response, Radha boldly confronts their uncle's celebratory declarations about the ritual's effectiveness and challenges the broader societal norms. With an ally in Bittu on their side, Radha courageously distinguishes between biological occurrences and gender identity by mirroring an act performed by the 'privileged' gender.