The five of us decided to watch Lalibazar without having even seen the trailer; knowing Swastima Khadka was front and center was enough to draw us in. We were all aware, to varying degrees, of the controversies surrounding its release specifically the theatrical block it faced just days before its release following a complaint filed by Roshni Nepali.
The film centers on Madhubala (Swastima Khadka), a young woman from the Badi community. Having briefly written about the Badi community on my blog back in 2010, and later regarding Uma Devi Badi‘s inclusion in the BBC’s 100 Women of 2018, I was eager to see how the story would be handled.
Visually, the film excels. It does a fantastic job of capturing its timeframe (circa 2045 BS onwards), utilizing a rich color palette that makes it an absolute visual treat. Subtle details, like a retro Truck Driver movie poster in the background, are wonderful touches, and I thoroughly enjoyed the musical sequences and their accompanying visuals.
When it comes to acting, the film is virtually faultless. Special mention must go to the young actor playing Madhubala’s child, Maharani; she is not only an incredible dancer but a bundle of joy to watch. Later in the story, Prashamsa Subedi delivers a highly memorable performance as the grown-up Maharani. The maternal bond between Khadka and the actors playing her daughters is natural and grounded throughout.
Bishal Devkota’s portrayal of Narayan brings a compelling, albeit frustrating, dynamic to the story. He is undeniably sweet, but ultimately spineless when it comes to standing up for the right things. While his heart is in the right place, his inaction speaks volumes. I suppose our society is full of Narayans.
Addressing the elephant in the room: research indicates that historically, only 5% to 6% of the Badi population engaged in the sex trade. Knowing this, it is easy to understand where the current, vocal outrage surrounding the film stems from.
Cinema is a powerful medium capable of informing the masses at once. For activists who have worked tirelessly to dismantle harmful societal assumptions, there is a valid fear that representations like this might reverse their hard-won progress.
Lalibazar is certainly not the first cultural piece to face such scrutiny; two books and a previous film that centre or touch on the Badi community have faced their own share of similar setbacks.
For Madhubala, the penny drops a bit too late, but it is ultimately better late than never. I was glad to see her eventually choose to fight for her daughter. Swastima Khadka delivers a stellar performance in a heavy, complex role that I am sure many actors would have loved to carry. While some critics have dismissed the film’s final emotional scenes as unnecessary, I welcomed them entirely. I left the cinema with a very heavy heart.
The historical structure of our society enabled wealthy landlords and societal elites to thrive with absolute impunity, extracting disgusting benefits from a rigid caste system. Thankfully, the tireless efforts of many everyday people and the civil war attempted to shake that archaic society awake.
Unfortunately, the journey for the Badi community is far from over, and their fight for dignity continues. I hope that moviegoers watching Lalibazar are inspired to shake up society for the better in their own individual ways. We still desperately need more acts of defiance.
