Radhika Apte Blazes in Sister Midnight

What happens when a woman expected to conform to society norms, decides to advocate for herself while shattering the shackles of married life to forge her own path? Directed by London based Indian artist and filmmaker karan Kandhari and featuring a pulse pounding cclectic soundtrack. Sister Midnight follows the story of rebellious small-town misfit Uma (Radhika Apte) and her arrival in Mumbai to find herself totally unsuited to life as a housewife.

At odds with her prying neighbors and under the constant oppressive noise and heat of the city, she decides to break free in this bold, unpredictable, and darkly funny debut.

Acclaimed Indian actress Radhika Apte has taken on yet another bold character choice with Uma.  Uma, by all definitions, is a misfit who becomes an accidental outlaw. She is not suited to the life of a traditional housewife and  her breaking free from the shackles of domesticity is poignant, funny and timely. Her attitude and purpose is broken even in the way she inhabits a frantic filled walk filled layered with intention.

The soundtrack, serving as its own character,  is enhanced only by the unique and refreshing direction of Karan Kandhari, whose gorgeous imagery and lack of dialogue makes Uma’s journey land in a way the audience never sees coming.

A visceral moment for me was during a scene with her co-worker (Chhaya Kadam), Uma responds to one of his  comments stating, “funny how we get use to things.” It struck me to my core thinking of how men assume and expect in certain cultures what a woman’s role is within the confines of marriage. Most are expected to cook, clean, bear children, tend to the household and remain quiet never expressing their thoughts and desires beyond that life.  It is this type of cinematic ideals that make Sister Midnight a standout for me because the subject matter is not approached from a completely dramatic sensibility, but turing reality on its head with a dark, cerebral type of humor that resonates long after the credits have rolled.

Check it out for yourself as the film can be purchased via Apple TV, Amazon Video, Fandango At Home as a download or be rented on Prime Video and  Plex online.