Northeast women are never shown as heroes, wanted to change that: director of ‘Shape of Momo'

Mumbai, Dec 5 (PTI) Director Tribeny Rai says she wanted to show a nuanced and authentic depiction of women from Northeast in her debut feature "Shape of Momo" as mainstream cinema often features them in peripheral roles.

Set against the backdrop of the Himalayas, the Nepali-language drama follows Bishnu (played by Pashupati Rai), who grapples with the societal pressures in her traditional village after quitting her job in the city.

As tensions rise with her pregnant sister’s arrival and a budding relationship with a suitable boy from her community, Bishnu must choose between conforming to tradition or claiming her independence.

"One of my concerns while making this film was also that we were always at the periphery. People from the mountains, we always play second fiddle in mainstream films, and they portray us in a way that either a lot of drugs is happening in the Northeast, or women from our region are working in the parlour.

"We are never the hero of our stories and I really wanted to change that. I wanted to show that we are as complex as others," the director, who hails from Sikkim, told PTI in an interview.

For the character, Rai drew a lot from her own experiences and said her protagonist Bishnu is “independent, strong-headed, and even unlikable” at times.

"We wanted to create a protagonist who is complex, but at the same time wanted to be critical. Whenever you see films about women being made and patriarchy is involved, they are always shown as righteous, but you will see she is a flawed character,” the writer-director said.

“I wanted to make this film because growing up I did not see a film about girls or women like us. It was very important to represent it. I felt that if I tell a story like this, it will resonate with people," she said.

“Shape of Momo” has garnered acclaim at Busan International Film Festival and won top honour at the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2025.

The film's emotional depth struck a chord with the global audience, Rai said, adding that women from diverse backgrounds found solace in her protagonist’s journey.

"My mother has watched the film and she got very emotional. She saw the film when we were premiering at Busan. I had a woman from Colombia walk up to me after my screening in Busan and said, ‘I’ve been living this life for years, how did you know? How did you make a film about it?’ I’ve had a Nepali woman come up to me and said, ‘I’m that girl in your film’,” the director said.

Rai, an alumna of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, said she is thrilled with the response “Shape of Momo” garnered at the recently concluded IFFI.

"Last time I came to IFFI was as a student from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and watched all the films from around the world and to have your film premiere is a wonderful experience, it has come full circle for me,” the director said, adding the film will be shown at International Film Festival of Kerala, Singapore Film Festival and at a festival in France.

She is hoping to release the film in the next three to four months.

“I already feel the burden of not being able to take it to as many places and people I would like to. But that is a struggle right now and a lot of independent filmmakers are also talking about it.

"Recently, they came out with a statement about how big theatres are not giving enough space but we are also trying to find ways to showcase our films to audiences all across the country,” Rai, who has co-produced the film via her production house Dalley Khorsani Productions, said. PTI KKP BK BK