Homegrown Short Film 'Kali' Is An Exploration Of Power, Family, & The Price Of Revenge

KaliJIJO

Published on:

26 Oct 2024, 3:00 am

3 min read

In a recent interview, Palestinian-Canadian singer-songwriter Nemah Hasan or 'Nemahsis' spoke about her inspiration for her track Chemical Mark. It entailed an experiment where mice were given shock therapy to make them stop eating a cherry blossom tree. These mice slowly started associating the pain with the smell of the tree. They were then bred with female mice that had no shock therapy but the babies with only 50% of the DNA would still continue to avoid going places that smelled like the cherry blossom tree. It took 7 generations of mice for the DNA to be diluted; for the instinct to be afraid of the cherry blossom smell to completely disappear.

This Chemical Mark, as Nemahsis puts it, is something we all inherit from our parents. These codes do not limit themselves to just fears, insecurities and anxieties but also inclinations and tendencies like addictions and even violence. In the new short film 'Kali', we see this cycle played out by our protagonist who repeats the pattern of her father. Rooted in vengeance and justice, the Kali becomes an emotional and behavioural map of how we fall into the predetermined paths of our destinies.

Set in Kolkata that's teeming with a thick layer of corruption just below the surface, a vigilante with seemingly divine powers takes to the streets, battling criminals and leaving behind a trail of fear. By day, she’s a daughter grappling with the emotional wounds of her father’s imprisonment; a man whose own life of crime was driven by desperation. But by night, she hunts Kolkata’s corrupt elite who are responsible for her sister's death. The tension between these two worlds; between the love for her family and the violent vigilante justice she doles out, gives the film its emotional heartbeat.

Directed by emerging filmmaker Jijo, Kali dives deep into the manifestation of human power, particularly when that power is embodied by a woman from the slums. The film beautifully weaves in magic realist elements, making Deepa’s story more than just a revenge tale. Her abilities seem to possess her, rather than the other way around. Her father’s shock, as he realizes his daughter has become beyond human, symbolizes society’s struggle to grasp the concept of a woman with uncontainable power.

The film's core centers around a painful full-circle moment. After exacting revenge on those who wronged her family, she’s faced with the unintended consequences of two orphaned children, a result of her actions not too different from the violence that took away her sister and put her father in prison. The weight of this moment showcases the fine line she walks between righteousness and guilt — and the consequences of wielding power in such a brutal world. Deepa's journey is less about being a superhero and more about her internal battle.

Even though the storytelling has legs, the short film speedruns through moments that are hinged together to build a narrative which at times feel too large for a production that lasts 27-minutes. However, that might just be because Jijo's vision for the story extends beyond the short film. Kali lays the groundwork for a feature-length film that promises to delve deeper into the sisters' relationship, their rivalry, and the forces that tore them apart. Set against the backdrop of Kolkata’s gang-controlled underbelly, the narrative transcends its crime-thriller roots, making bold statements about power, vulnerability, and justice.

JIJO, known for their humanistic approach to storytelling, draws on their experiences as a documentarian who has traveled the globe, covering issues of social justice and human rights. The filmmaker's non-fiction background gives Kali a thematic density. How well it pairs with the jump cuts and montages spread across the timeline, I'm unsure of. But what the short film lacks in rhythm, it makes up for in the emotional resonance.

On the outside Kali explores the trope of a vigilante powered by vengeance that we have gorged on for years with Marvel and DC. But on he inside, a BIPOC female protagonist in the gritty realism of Kolkata's slums creates a new experience. The storyline is fairly linear but as you follow it you get into a contemplative headspace that leaves you with questions about identity, power structures, cycles of violence, and the cost of revenge. The affect is ambivalent; somewhere between defeat and hope, which considering Deepa's world, is the best you can expect.

Follow JIJO here and watch the trailer for Kali below.