Review of Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) by Amanda C — 22 Oct 2016

Angry Indian Goddesses might be uneven in places, but the final gut punch it delivers more than makes up for any missteps. It is a film that does not shy away from the harsh and misogynistic realities that are daily realities for so many women, particularly in India which has some of the highest rates of child marriage and gang rapes in the world.

The dynamic opening sequence says it all. These women are angry, they are done fitting into the traditional image of the meek and quiet wife. This opening sequence is the film's thesis statement. As each of the central characters are objectified, belittled and harassed, each one fights back, literally.

They are physical, they get in their harassers' faces, they hit back. While there are moments that can feel a bit preachy when the film simply becomes a group of women talking about their perceived lesser status in society, there is an unforgettable dynamic to these women and their refusal to be anything less than full fledged human beings.

It is at times brutal and violent, but that's the point. Women will respond to violence with their own, because they are done being passive victims. This final statement is professed with such strength, that it doesn't matter if the film falls flat and drags a bit in the middle.

Angry Indian Goddesses is not a film you will easily forget.