The Shameless review: This love story marinated in aggression, trauma, and energy is bound to make you glued in!

In this review, cinematic_beacon aka Rhea delves into how The Shameless tells the tale of two women who fall in love and protest against society!

Dwelling on powerful themes like nonconformity, queer love, matriarchy and dysfunctionality of gender roles, The Shameless, following the story of Renu and Devika, is bound to make you want to stay glued to your seat for the majority of its runtime. 

Renu, a.k.a Nadira, a sex worker from Delhi, runs away to Chattarpur after killing a police officer at her local brothel. Trying to keep a low profile in this new town, she unexpectedly bumps into Devika, a protected, arguably naive 17-year-old girl who develops feelings for her. As they begin their forbidden relationship together, tragedy strikes, and circumstances overturn. Only time reveals what is really in store for them. 

Anasuya Sengupta and Omara Shetty are undoubtedly the key drivers of this film. Their chemistry is beyond palpable and invigorating, almost like they were meant to be each other’s companions, regardless of the noticeable age gap. However, I do feel like the initial spark of this relationship wasn’t given sufficient screen time to develop into something real organically. Although it did by the final act, their romance initially seemed rushed. That being said, this connection did go somewhere eventually. By the time their honeymoon phase ended, Renu and Devika were so attached to each other that one could term what they had as true, unconditional love. Their attachment and bond were so unbreakable that they could kill for each other, regardless of the consequences, and it'd made me want to call this couple the ‘love martyrs’. I’m glad that queer romance has been given this kind of treatment and representation in Indian cinema.

Another beautiful aspect of The Shameless is the manner in which it brings up matriarchy as a concept. It addresses the unchallenged truth that gender discrimination, patriarchy, and misogyny are fueled in society by women just as much as it is by men. The fact that Devika’s mother and grandmother chose to watch TV while she, a minor, was being tortured, abused, and brutally molested by her client just goes to show that women also tend to avoid breaking the cycle due to money and greed. It’s imperative to address how a dysfunctional family setup can trigger a child’s future, and this film hit the nail with that perfectly!

Also Read: Lice review: It's all about circling back to ego-shattering and cruel childhood memories!

From a technical standpoint, the music and cinematography were simply breathtaking. The techno, shades of RGB, rap, and clever visuals gave the story and relationship a very dream-like, misty, trippy feel, which is what one actually witnesses in love. I thoroughly enjoyed analysing the creative decisions made in this film. And in this day and age of lower attention spans, the film's grip is so firm that not once did I feel the urge to touch my phone to check the time or respond to messages!

Having said that, I was a little sceptical about a couple of things. First is the pace of the film. Too much happened in the second half and too little in the first! I kept thinking to myself how things could go so south so suddenly. A better balance between the acts would’ve led to a tighter film. Second is the abstract subplots of the film. There were hints thrown around about Devika’s childhood, about how some events had troubled her in the past; however, they carried little to no context or coherent explanations. I wondered why her family thought she was different from the rest of them, or ‘crazy’ as they called her. Even Renu’s backstory, the reason behind killing the cop, and her relationship with Murad weren’t explored adequately, leaving the sub-narratives incomplete. I walked out of the theatre with more questions than answers regarding where the story was concerned, which certainly had some loopholes to fill.

Nevertheless, the central theme of the film piqued my interest a lot. The cast, production, music, and visuals worked in tandem to create an abstract yet emotionally stimulating work of art. Kudos to the whole team; their hard work truly paid off as The Shameless is an honest ode to love! 

The Shameless had its Indian premiere at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival this year! 

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