Watch it's a girl

"It's a Girl" is a captivating tale of hope and resilience that follows the journey of a young woman named Sheru through the trials and tribulations of life in India's patriarchal society. Played with great emotional depth by Anisa Butt, Sheru is a bright and ambitious young girl who dreams of becoming a doctor and making a difference in the world. But her aspirations are threatened by the oppressive social norms that seek to limit women's freedom at every turn.

The film opens with a chilling statistic: every year, hundreds of thousands of female babies are aborted, killed, or abandoned in India, simply because they are girls. Sheru's own mother, who died when she was a child, was a victim of this pernicious culture of gender bias. Her father, played with quiet intensity by Rahul Choudhry, must raise her alone, facing the scrutiny and disapproval of his community.

Despite the odds stacked against her, Sheru flourishes in school and attracts the attention of a kind-hearted teacher who recognizes her talent and passion for learning. But as she begins to mature and face the pressures of adolescence, she discovers the harsh reality that many girls in her village are forced to confront: that their bodies are not their own, that their worth is determined by their ability to bear sons, and that they are seen as commodities to be traded off to the highest bidder.

The film's director, Megha Ramaswamy, infuses each frame with a sense of intimacy and emotional honesty, bringing Sheru's world to vivid life. The cinematography evokes the chaos and beauty of rural India, from the bright colors of the marketplace to the dusty fields of the countryside. The sound design, too, is impressive, capturing the ambient noise of the bustling city and the quiet moments of contemplation that Sheru experiences.

At its heart, "It's a Girl" is a powerful indictment of a culture that devalues and discriminates against women, but it is also a celebration of the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Sheru's journey is one that will resonate with anyone who has felt the sting of injustice, the sting of rejection, or the sting of despair. But it is also a story of hope, of the possibility of change, of the unbreakable bonds of love, and of the transformative power of education.

In conclusion, "It's a Girl" is a poignant and beautifully crafted film that tackles vital and urgent social issues with sensitivity and grace. Anchored by superb performances from its two leads and a strong script that never shies away from the harsh realities of life for women in India, the movie is a must-see for anyone who cares about gender equality, human rights, or the power of cinema to bring about positive change.

it's a girl is a 2019 drama with a runtime of 34 minutes.