Sister Midnight
On the eve of her arranged marriage to Gopal (Ashok Pathak), Uma (Radhika Apte, "THe Wedding Guest") finds herself alone in a dark one room hovel that opens directly onto a busy street, her husband having run off to get drunk. Bored out of her wits sitting in the heat all day, Uma, who cannot cook or clean, gets herself a job mopping floors at the far end of Mumbai's subway line. One night, as she makes the trek home, she discovers a horrifying urge that nonetheless empowers her as "Sister Midnight."
Laura's Review: B+
This uproariously funny, completely bonkers feature debut from writer/director Karan Kandhari utilizes everything from camera movement (cinematography by Sverre Sørdal), editing (Napoleon Stratogiannakis), silent screen acting techniques and eclectic musical selections to create a comedic atmosphere for its audacious heroine. Pathak is absolutely, fearlessly committed as the sarcastically proclaimed 'domestic goddess' who refuses to put up with her new husband's avoidance or his judgmental neighborhood.
'I've never met a woman with such a filthy mouth,' Gopal tells Uma, but her forthrightness does appear to get through to him, at least outside of their bed. When she demands that he make some time for her though, a trip to the beach turns into a thirteen hour bus ride that must be repeated four minutes later to get him home in time for work. Uma turns to her neighbor Sheetal (Chhaya Kadam), whose cooking lessons for the new bride consist of 'Men are dim - just use enough chili and salt and they'll eat anything,' for companionship, the two imagining their own romantic marriage as they take long walks past the garbage bins and trash piles. But when Sheetal leaves for a visit to her village, Uma is once again at odds and stealing potted plants may alleviate her home's dinginess, but not her restlessness.
Gopal comes through again when Uma becomes ill and unable to eat, dragging her to a clinic, but the doctor's directive to drink flat Coke doesn't work.
She passes out at work, landing on her face, but once she finds her very unorthodox solution, she'll have to ask Gopal if he trusts her before sharing her secret, one which leads to some honeymoon madness. Perhaps those women at the edge of the neighborhood who call her Moonchild or those who asked her what whitening cream she uses knew something she didn't...
To say more would spoil the bizarre path the film takes, one which Kandhari spikes with Harryhausen-like stop motion birds and baby goats(!) as well as a last act Gothic makeover. But the film delights from the onset, Kandhari utilizing a 2.39 : 1 aspect ratio for panning shots of his characters traversing one one-room hovel after another as they travel down their street, other times creating centered tableaux with static shots like Swedish auteur Roy Andersson. Stratogiannakis cuts with precision for comedic effect, often on abrupt body movements. The film is grounded by Interpol's Paul Banks' scoring debut, but it is Kandhari's musical selections, kicking off with Howlin' Wolf's harmonica blues tune 'Moanin' at Midnight,' and including
The Stooges, The Band and Motörhead before accompanying two dogs running through a Budhhist zen garden to Marty Robbins' 'El Paso,' that give the film the most flavor.
Robin's Review: B
Uma (Radhika Apte) and Gopal (Ashok Pathak) are very new newlyweds and spend their first night in his cramped apartment in Mumbai. She knows nothing about cooking and caring for a home. He is totally out of his element with her. This is not the making of a good marriage in “Sister Midnight.”
When the couple enters their tiny apartment, the front door is mere feet from the bustle of a city of over 12 million people. At first, she makes moves to consummate the marriage but Gopal runs away and gets drunk. It is not a marriage made in heaven.
Soon, the isolation from her far distant friends and family begins to affect the lonely young woman. She begins stealing potted plants from the neighbors and builds a tiny refuge in the apartment. Things do not get better with her husband and it is more a casual relationship than a marriage.
Gopal tries to make it up to Uma and he promises a day by the seaside. The only problem is it takes 13 hours to get there. They must turn right around and go home. She, after an interlude away from him, takes a janitorial job. Her behavior, though, becomes more and more erratic as she develops a taste for animal blood. Then, Gupal complains about the stench of rotting flesh in their flat.
First time feature director-writer Karan Kandhari creates a slow-burning character study of a woman out of her element with a man who is, virtually, a stranger. And, she is far away from the emotional support of her family and friends. The isolation she endures obviously pushes her toward the edge and her odd behavior brings on accusations of “Witch!” by the local woman.
Uma’s strange ways and eating habits beckon to mental illness from loneliness and isolation and a husband without a clue. There is dark humor throughout Uma’s character study as she descends from her “normal” life into her own shadowy present. Radhika Apte owns her character, Uma, while Ashok Pathak has the tough job as the brow-beaten and emasculated spouse.
The story, toward the ever-darkening finale, lends itself to a vampiric interpretation that I think overshadows the case for mental illness. Uma is a troubled young woman totally out of her element and in an arranged marriage that should never have been arranged. It is, to me, a troubling story of survival and a journey to that end for Uma.
Magnet releases "Sister Midnight" in theaters on 5/16/25. Click here for playdate and ticket info.
