Green Girl: Haunting and liberating inter-faith love story set in Mangaluru

From ‘Bombay’ to ‘Veer-Zaara’ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, movies based on inter-faith love stories are not uncommon in India. But what sets Sarthak Hegde’s ‘Green Girl’ apart is that it is both haunting and liberating.

Set in a polarised Mangaluru, the featurette follows the dreams and vulnerabilities of an inter-faith couple. Ameena (Sucharita) and Jeevan (Mayur Gowda) are in their 20s and deeply in love.

They retreat to a quiet hilltop for privacy, where Ameena smokes cigarettes and Jeevan dreams of moving to the US, a country he believes will embrace their love in ways their homeland can’t. Besides this, Jeevan is part of a Hindu fundamentalist group.

In just 52 minutes, the director delves into the nuances of what it means to be a Hindu and a Muslim in today’s India. Why would a Hindu boy who is in love with a Muslim girl be drawn to Hindu fundamentalism? The answers are heart-wrenching, revealing society’s role in letting down their youth.

As ‘Green Girl’ unfolds, its events leave you shocked, helpless, and overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness. Yet, strangely, the film also feels liberating in many ways.

Sarthak uses distinct, symbolic colours to make a bold commentary about the growing communal tensions across the country. Both Sucharita and Mayur deliver convincing performances.

Sarthak’s film is bold and revolutionary. Kudos to KRG Studios for taking on the film’s distribution. A must-watch!