Finding a voice, almost

Even as Gujarati cinema embraces bold and fresh themes, its search for an identity continues

- POOJA BIRAIA JAISWAL

If Abhishek Jain’s Bey Yaar (2014), about the relationship of two childhood friends, turned the ignition for Gujarati cinema, films like Chhello Divas (2015), Gujjubhai the Great (2015), Wrong Side Raju (2016) and Hellaro (2019) helped it gain momentum. And then came Pan Nalin’s Chhello Show in 2021, which was India’s official entry to the Oscars. It beautifully captured the wide-eyed wonder of a young cinema lover. And if anyone thought that was a lucky strike, Gujarati cinema did an encore with Viral Shah’s Kutch Express (2022), which won three national awards this year for best actress, best costume design and best feature film promoting national and social values.

Manasi Parekh, who won the best actress award, says she could not believe it at first. Initially, she had even doubted whether the film would be accepted as its narrative—about a female underdog’s entrepreneurial journey—was novel to a film industry not used to “bold and offbeat female-centric” stories. The film was produced by Parekh and her husband, and she says the limited budget for Gujarati films made it a challenging endeavour.

“Despite all the limitations, the fact that we have won this award goes to show that newer, bolder and stronger narratives are now finding acceptance in Gujarati cinema,” Parekh tells THE WEEK. There was a suggestion that the film should be made in Hindi to reach a wider audience, but Parekh felt its authenticity would have been lost. A tale about a woman from Kutch should be set in Kutch, and it is this rootedness and realism that won the film accolades.