Movie review : Hellaro

          Movie Review : Hellaro

Hellaro is a National award winning  Gujrati film. Hellaro means a breath of fresh air or outburst.  It is inspired from true life incident of the village in Kutch a during  1975. It's story of supprest women who break all patriarchal shackles. It's journey of women from suppression to Expression. Women consider as a property of men without them  they have no any identity. They have to suppress their emotions and dreams. They can't even questions against patriarchal regulations. Women are suffering from domestic violence. They are like puppets of men without their permission they can't even move. In this movie highlights subjects like  domestic violence , patriarchal power , women education , women empowerment,  superstition, cast system. It highlights the  contradiction of woman   condition. One side   Indira Gandhi is a  prime minister of India the woman power  ruling on the country on other side women in Indian  villages ruled by  orthodox Indian patriarchal power.

The village hasn't seen rainfall in three years. Men in the village consider it as course on them thus  they worship Goddess by doing Garba( Gujrati folk). Manjari sees that only men are allowing to do Garba , for women it's forbidden. She questions that why in the village women are not allowed to do garba. Majari says that  

“Isn’t it weird that when it does not rain, men dance and we fast and starve?"

  It shows the rigid orthodox of male dominance on women. In this movie highlights condition of women. Kesar is widow in her young age. She  is  living in her room from 1 and half year.  The situation take place in which she has  allowed to go outside in a day only once for getting water. No one allowed to talk with her including women. It shows woman's suffering after death of her husband. The men in the village shows their patriarchal dominance by  beating women , Sexual harassment , controlling  women and expect that  to surrender to patriarchal norms. Hansa suffers from miscarriage of girl child due to beaten by her husband during  pregnancy.  Manjari 's husband told her ,

"I have heard that educated women have grown  wings or horns weather you have grown wings or horns , remove them yourself because if I cut them it will pain you more. " 

Once women going for their daily routine to filling water. They sees a dholi( drummer ) laying on desert. Manjari  saves life of the man by giving him water. She noticed a dhole ( drum) next to him and told him to play it for them. As he start playing  it every women started to play garba in outburst.  Thus women's dream come true to play garba. They are  filled with life and  joy. They  feel alive again. Majari says to dholi , 

“We feel that we are alive only when we clap and dance to the beats of your dhol. I will exchange my whole kingdom – if I have one – for the sake of garba.” added Gayatri

 Thus, this happens everyday. Women are eagerly waiting for going to filling water. Women has mixed emotions one side they feel joy but another side they consider it as sin. But they forget everything while playing garba. But once this secret reviled. All the men trying to control this thing by beating their woman. They trying to suppress  women's voice of freedom . But it's too late ,unafraid of any shackles of male dominance women breakthrough dancing garba.

In the movie highlights harsh treatment given to the law cast people.. The folk dance garba should only played by men specially upper cast men. Low cast people and women are not allowed. Once a dholi ( drummer ) 's daughter insists her father that she wants to play garba. Thus he plays drum for her daughter. They caught up by village people. They burnt the house of dholi in which dholi 's daughter and wife are dead.  

      In this movie highlights importance of education in life. Education is a key of Freedom. Until Majahri 's arrival into village the life of women goes like living corpses. Majhri is only educated woman in the village . She is studied till seven standard. She always raises questions on male dominance. Education lights up the dark corner of mind. It helps to prevent our mind from believing into superstition and blind faith.  It also shows the importance of art in the life. Garba is the form of art and the  way of display the joy , love and compassion. Thus majhri becomes the light  in this darkness of patriarchal dominance. Her education makes her different from the other women who blindly following the male dominance. Because of her the other women get courage to break all the shackles of patriarchal dominance.

Thus, it's story of women suffering in the patriarchal society and fight against the male dominance power to get their freedom. Freedom to live , dream and enjoy the life.


Apart from the story cinematography plays vital role in the film. The  camera becomes medium of conveying message. Each and every frame of movie has  language of conveying message.  It successfully highlights emotions and situation throughout the movie. Music also plays an important role in the movie. The lyrics of the songs give  complement to the narrative. The songs become the best medium to highlight the condition of women. 

Here is the trailer of the movie :