Girls Will Be Girls (15) |Close-Up Film Review 

Very easy to watch and enjoy, GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS, which was a success at the London Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, is a new take on the coming-of-age genre.

When 16-year-old Maira (Preeti Panigrahi) falls for her first lover 17-year-old classmate, Sri (Kesav Binoy Kiron), she doesn’t expect her mother to be her main rival. 

A very proper hard-working student at her traditional boarding school in the Himalayas, Mira always behaves according to the rules, but suddenly finds herself drawn to good looking Sri. The film is set in the 1990s so without mobile phones, Mira has to use the house landline. It’s not long before Sri visits her home, and Mira is surprised to find her mother flirting with her new boyfriend. Because her mother, Anila (Kani Kusruti) missed out on many of the usual teenage explorations, Mira finds herself observing her mother’s interest and flirtation with Sri. 

Mother and daughter both realise exactly what’s going on and a tension develops between them. But Mira gains in confidence and happily explores her sexual awakenings. Sri, as characterised by Kirov, exhibits an unusual maturity. 

The relationship between Maira and her mother alters as the film progresses. Unshowy performances by the leading actors brings a naturalness and believability to the story. There are no screaming arguments between them, but a mixture of lively interaction and watchful emotions. 

It’s a good script by Talati and her direction is spot on. Nice camera work helps in focusing on the relationship between mother and daughter and between Maira and her new boyfriend. 

Try to catch the film now it is on general release.