In Hindu culture there's a pooja (ritual) for everything. My nuclear family wasn't too religious so I was only aware of the big ones: house warmings, Diwali, etc. But when we visited our relatives, it got more extensive; further entangled into the social dynamic. The more conservative a place, the more they believed that problems and illnesses could be solved through rituals. A community based upon a shared notion of spirituality can be quite empowering. But this subscription to a particular belief also creates a homogeneity where anything that contradicts these beliefs is considered a problem. And as we know, problems can and must be solved through poojas.
The same premise forms the fate of Radha, the 11-year-old non-binary protagonist in Snigdha Kapoor's short film Holy Curse. Set against the backdrop of a family visit to India, the film offers a rich and personal exploration of the pressures that come with navigating one’s identity within the constraints of societal and familial expectations. This year, it won the Best Short Film award at the Tasveer Film Festival.
Radha’s parents, who have only been living in the U.S. for two years, embody the conflict between being progressive and respecting their family traditions. Struggling to reconcile their traditional Indian upbringing with the values of the new world they are attempting to embrace, they see Radha’s journey of self-discovery as something needing 'remedy'. This belief leads them to consult Radha’s uncle, who turns to astrology and age-old rituals for guidance, casting Radha’s nonconforming gender identity as a “curse” that needs to be fixed. The trip to a priest becomes a symbol of the family’s desperation to address what they believe is a deviation from societal norms.
At its core, Holy Curse portrays Radha’s personal journey through a maze of cultural contradictions. While they navigate the physical and emotional changes of puberty, they are also forced to confront the restrictive roles imposed by their family and the weight of Indian customs. As the protagonist’s parents turn to orthodox rituals and astrology, the film exposes the deep-seated stigmas associated with gender identity in traditional cultures, where deviation from gender norms is often met with shame, fear, and an effort to control or correct it.
Snigdha, drawing from her own experiences growing up in a conservative North Indian city, brings a personal lens to this story. Through Radha’s eyes, the audience is invited to reflect on the often unspoken and unacknowledged forms of conversion therapy still present in Indian culture. The use of astrology and rituals as attempts to 'correct' Radha’s identity underscores the ways in which faith and superstition can sometimes serve as oppressive forces, stifling self-expression and self-discovery.
What makes Holy Curse especially powerful is its universality. While the film is steeped in Indian cultural practices, the themes of gender identity, societal expectations, and the clash between self-acceptance and fitting into the social fabric resonate across borders and generations. In many ways, Radha’s journey is one that countless people face around the world, as they navigate the complexities of identity in the face of familial and societal pressures.
The film is not just a critique of outdated customs but also a call for understanding and acceptance. By shining a light on the quiet suffering that often accompanies these rigid norms, Snigdha urges us to speak against ignorance that is so acute, it borders on hate. Holy Curse also invites viewers to question the roles that faith, tradition, and superstition play in shaping or distorting our understanding of gender and identity.
Follow Snigdha here and watch the trailer for the short film below.
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