Kamli movie review: Path-breaking Pakistani drama about carnal desire

In 2022, acclaimed films Joyland and The Legend Of Maula Jatt widely dominated the rise of Pakistani cinema debate.

Kamli was perhaps equally important creatively but didn’t get the same level of attention and was sadly not given a big release, despite being path-breaking on multiple levels.

The powerful drama headlined by popular Pakistani star Saba Qamar gets a UK premiere this week at the annual UK Asian Film Festival.

The story revolves around the title character, waiting for a husband who has been missing for eight years and is pushed by a carnal desire to finally move on. She is not the only woman, who is battling specific challenges and what follows is a drama about overcoming societal pressures.

A winning aspect of this taboo-busting drama is that it’s genuinely different from other Pakistani movies that have been made in recent years. Right from the original storyline to female characters not seen before and a subject that has been largely buried in the conservative country, this slow burning drama is captivating. There is great use of symbolism and silences in this beautifully shot film, which is entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure. Great performances from the female-led lead cast bring the beautiful writing loaded with relatable emotions vividly to life. Saba Qamar adds to her impressive list of winning performances with another magnetic turn.

Her fellow cast members are equally as good in their respective roles. The director should be credited for bringing all the different elements, including music and cinematography to tell a compelling story. Some may find this movie a little slow, and there was perhaps scope to take a deeper dive into the characters.

That doesn’t take away from Kamli being a fine Pakistani film, and one that breaks down further barriers in a growing cinema industry.