Watch Vara: A Blessing

Vara: A Blessing is a beautifully shot Indo-Scottish film that tells the story of a young girl who is forced to confront the social and cultural traditions of her community as she navigates her path towards adulthood. The film takes place in the 19th century in a small village in Southern India, where young Uma (played by Shahana Goswami) is being prepared for marriage to a man she has never met.

Despite the fact that Uma's parents are wealthy, they have chosen to arrange a marriage for her within the Brahmin caste, which is one of the highest in the Indian caste system. While Uma's mother is eager for her daughter to make a good match and secure her own social standing, Uma herself is less content with the idea of marrying a man she's never met and living a life that has already been predetermined for her.

As the film progresses, we see Uma struggle to reconcile her own desires with the expectations of her family and community. Along the way, she befriends a young Scottish missionary named Alexander (Ruvin De Silva) who is living in India with his mother. Alexander is drawn to Uma's beauty and spirit, and the two strike up a tentative friendship that is marked by moments of both tenderness and cultural misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Uma's parents have arranged for a wealthy merchant named Ramanujam (played by Siddharth) to court their daughter. Ramanujam is charming and persuasive, and seems genuinely interested in Uma as a person. However, Uma can't help but feel conflicted about the whole situation, and her feelings only become more complicated when she discovers that Ramanujam is involved in a shady business deal with her father.

Throughout the film, we see Uma struggle to assert herself and make her own decisions, even as she is surrounded by people who are determined to control her fate. She is torn between her duty to her family and her own sense of self, and the tension between these two desires comes to a head in a climactic scene towards the end of the film.

One of the most striking elements of Vara: A Blessing is its visual style. The film was shot on location in India and Scotland, and the landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful. Director Khyentse Norbu (who also co-wrote the screenplay) uses long, slow shots to capture the poetry of everyday life in both countries, and the film is full of stunning images of people and places.

The performances in the film are also excellent. Shahana Goswami is a charismatic presence as Uma, and she manages to convey a lot of emotion with just a few subtle gestures. Swaroopa Ghosh is also impressive as Uma's mother, who is conflicted between her love for her daughter and her desire for social acceptance.

Despite the beauty of the film, there are some moments that feel a bit disjointed or underdeveloped. For example, Alexander's relationship with Uma feels somewhat rushed, and it's never entirely clear what his intentions are towards her. Similarly, the subplot involving Ramanujam's business dealings is intriguing, but it doesn't quite pay off in the way that it could.

That being said, Vara: A Blessing is a powerful and moving film that grapples with some weighty themes. It's an exploration of tradition and modernity, of duty and desire, and it handles these issues with sensitivity and nuance. The film ultimately suggests that there are no easy answers to these questions, and that finding a balance between tradition and individual freedom is a process that requires both courage and compassion.

Overall, Vara: A Blessing is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that is well worth your time. Its themes are universal, and its characters are richly drawn and complex. It's a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Vara: A Blessing is a 2014 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4.