Secret Superstar
2017 · Directed by Advait Chandan
Original language: Hindi
- drama
- music
The story
A talented teenage singer-songwriter living amid domestic abuse becomes a YouTube sensation after a video in which she hides her identity goes viral.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated Mumbai-suburb colour with warm domestic interiors, cramped flats lit by tube lights and wall-mounted fans, and a handheld, close-in camera that stays tight on faces. The music carries the film: upbeat pop-Bollywood numbers, a bedroom webcam glow, and quiet stretches where the sound drops to a kitchen clatter or a single held note. Its vibe is bittersweet and buoyant, with a current of tension running under the joy. Pacing moves briskly through lighter scenes of study, friendship and online triumph, then tightens sharply whenever the home turns hostile. The intensity is moderate: domestic abuse appears on screen, including slapping, shouting and intimidation of the wife and children, with a real sense of fear, but there is no gore and little graphic violence. Its arcs centre on a teenage girl finding her voice against a controlling father, and on a mother and daughter learning to stand up together. It suits a family-minded evening or a comfort watch for people who want heart, music and a clear-eyed look at abuse without it being gratuitous.
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