Have you ever wondered how dark the dark side of being an artist can get? How far does one go to achieve their goals? How many sacrifices will they make? Including their morality. Qala is a beautiful tale depicting exactly that. A woman compromising her morals to attain what she wants most in life; fame.

This musical psychological horror movie revolves around Qala, a young, and gifted vocalist who ventures into playback singing and finds fame.

However, underneath all the glitz, reverence and honours she is consumed by her desire to succeed. Tormented by her past she finds herself desperately seeking validation and approval from her estranged mother.

The vintage lyrical drama features strong performances, offers an artistic depiction of pressing issues including childhood trauma, the challenges faced in mother-daughter bonds, and the ugly side of stardom. It also dives deep into various issues that are plaguing Indian families such as making girl children feel inferior and unimportant as compared to male children. Her mother never forgave her for being born healthy even though she had no control over that.

Throughout the movie, the film cleverly showcases the fragile nature of Qala’s state of mind. She was in a perpetual competition with her step-brother to one up him.

Qala uses its medium to express psychological components. The film presents likeable morally dubious individuals while expertly tackling unpleasant issues. The actors do a fantastic job in their roles, truly bringing the characters to life. One of the larger surprises this month, this is a very engaging viewing.

The story is a little predictable. Although, you can’t help but overlook it because of the stupendous art and direction. All the sets, cinematography, costumes, etc. are so beautifully done. This film is a visual masterpiece.