Shakti: What the film intended to say versus what audiences understand

Nani Sahra Walker’s film tackles child sexual abuse, caste discrimination, patriarchy and the search for justice, but its ambitious themes sometimes remain clearer in the director’s explanations than on the screen

KATHMANDU: After watching Nani Sahra Walker’s ‘Shakti,’ many questions arose in my mind. I got answers to some of them after talking to the director. But just because I got answers to all questions does not mean my disagreement with the film has ended. Rather, after the director clarified her purpose, a core question has become even more serious: rather than what the film tried to say, what did the film succeed in making the audience understand?

‘Shakti’ is a courageous film. Bringing serious topics like child sexual abuse, women’s insecurity, caste discrimination, institutional power, spirituality, and the search for justice into a single story is a risky job in itself. The strongest aspect of the film is the acting of the actors. Especially in the role of Lila, Polina Oli’s acting is extremely natural and restrained. Laxmi Bardewa in the role of Durga and Menuka Pradhan in the role of Maya have also carried the emotional weight of the story well. Not turning child sexual abuse into unnecessary melodrama is another big achievement of the film. But my question on the film’s title ‘Shakti’ still remains.

According to the director, power means Lila speaking, asking questions, and accepting what she has seen without remaining silent. Her explanation that asking questions in a society where children are taught to be quiet is power itself is intellectually attractive. But a film must make the audience experience its central concept on the screen itself. It is good if the meaning becomes clearer from the explanation given by the director later, but an ordinary viewer does not get the opportunity to hear such an explanation.

A scene from the movie ‘Shakti’

A film is for the general audience, not only for film critics, philosophers, or award judges. I consider myself a viewer who watches slightly more films than normal and has social experience and background. If even I raised so many questions, what would an ordinary viewer understand? A situation where the meaning of a film carrying a social message cannot be connected by the audience themselves and requires the director’s explanation can be a weakness of the film’s communication capacity.

Spirituality, symbols, and ambiguity

The spiritual aspect of the film is interesting. The scene of the ‘Mata’ came from an event the director saw firsthand during her own research. Therefore, the scene of cleaning the girl child’s feet with the tongue can be a strange example of reality rather than imagination. Not showing the snake and the fire incident were also presented as intentionally ambiguous symbols. The director’s explanation that the snake is the invisible fear inside Lila’s mind and the fire is an indication of crisis and the state where life can suddenly change is meaningful.

A scene from the movie ‘Shakti’, which covers topics including child sexual abuse and women’s insecurity