KALEIDOSCOPIC REFLECTIONS OF BEAUTY, BANTER AND WOMANHOOD

The unassuming opening of Victoria puts us directly inside a bus that chugs along a routine route, carrying the titular Victoria (Meenakshi Jayan) and an old woman clutching a rooster, of all things.

- VIVEK SANTHOSH

This chicken, destined for sacrificial purposes, passes into Victoria's hands until the old lady can collect it again in the evening. From there, the camera embarks on a compelling journey capturing Victoria's every step as she strides along a sunlit road and enters the microcosm of a women-only beauty parlour. It's an introduction that whispers, "Settle in, you're in for something special."

Selected for the Malayalam Cinema Today section at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), Sivaranjini J's directorial debut has garnered significant attention, winning the FIPRESCI Award for Best Malayalam Film by a Debut Director. From the moment Victoria steps into the parlour, the world outside fades away. Except for the opening and closing shots, the entire film unfolds within the confines of this beauty parlour—a space that is both a sanctuary and a stage. The parlour becomes the crux of the film, a bustling haven where everyday conversations bloom into poignant narratives. Within the boundaries of this parlour, Sivaranjini crafts a warm kaleidoscope of sisterhood, class divides and subtle resistance.

In this all-women domain, one male entity crows out its presence: the rooster. Is it just a cameo, or a feathered cipher for patriarchy? Roosters have it easy in the animal kingdom, don't they? They mate at will and nobody demands eggs from them. Perhaps the bird represents the male gaze—a quiet intruder in a space designed for feminine respite.