Netflix’s ‘Qala’: A psychological tale of mental health and toxic parenting

If you have tuned to Netflix’s newly released movie Qala thinking it as just another Bollywood movie then let me clear you it’s not your regular cup of tea.

Featuring Tripti Dimri as Qala in the movie ‘Qala’, the movie explores the psychological theme and how toxic parenting has an impact on people, and how jealousy can lead people into sins they never imagined they were capable of committing. 

Set in the 1930s, ‘Qala’ tells the story of the titular character, played by Triptii Dimri, who is one of the most popular playback singers in Kolkata. Although she is a leading singer and her future seems to be bright and full of opportunities, however, she is haunted by the toxic relationship with her mother named Urmila, and suffers emotionally.

Her mother had always held a grudge against Qala for being the twin who survived childbirth and killed her unborn son in the process. This led her mother to build a toxic relationship with her own daughter who makes her insecure all her life.

Qala’s insecurity soon turns out to be unmanageable jealousy when her mother a grass-roots level singer named Jagan home and starts treating them like her own son.

When Urmila began to do everything in her power to make Jagan an established mainstream artist, this is where insecure Qala becomes more and more jealous of him and ends up doing things she regrets later and faces its consequences too. Fame, money, etc; Qala inshort gets everything but still nothing!

Qala is more than mother-daughter’s fragile relationship, Qala is about surviving in the music industry, there’s sexual abuse, favoritism, and internalized sexism, and how to face it.

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Qala ended with a high and thought-provoking note that when someone calls for help and tells you ‘there is something wrong’ or if one is feeling suicidal then pay attention to them before it’s too late.

It still is unclear why Qalaended the way she did; was it because of  Urmila’s horrible parenting? Was it her guilt toward Jagan? Was it a lack of proper medical help? Or was it because of career challenges? This still seems unclear. While concluding the article, as a viewer, ‘Qala’ reminds me of Hollywood actor Jim Carrey’s famous quote, “I wish everyone could get rich and famous and everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that’s not the answer.” Yes, because no amount of money or success is worth your life or anyone’s mental health.