What shape is a momo? Round, half-moon, pleated or folded? These are not just mere preferences or cooking techniques; The shape of a momo is a matter of identity, pride, continuity of tradition and perhaps even conformity. Within this rigid framework of tradition, a strangely shaped Momo becomes an act of defiance.
Shot in the idyllic villages of East Sikkim – the kind that travel influencers like to call a “hidden gem” – Sikkimese director Tribeny Rai’s debut film, Shape of Momo, is not a film about food. Rather, Rai uses the traditional Nepalese dish that the rest of India enjoys as street food to delve deeper into the dish Nepali the community living in Sikkim, their daily struggles with societal expectations and threats to their security.
The story follows Bishnu (Gaumaya Gurung), a 32-year-old woman who returns to her ancestral homeland after quitting her job in Delhi. She lives in an all-female household with three generations of women – her grandmother (Bhanu Maya Rai), her widowed mother (Pashupati Rai) and her pregnant sister Junu (Shyamashree Sherpa). The first few minutes of the film establish these relationships and provide context, then The Shape of Momo delves into the lived reality and inner worlds of these characters.
A scene from Shape of Momo. Image Credit: Dalley Khorsani Productions/Kathkala Films/Aizoa Pictures
With Support from industry leaders Like Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Payal Kapadia, the film had an incredible festival run, first at MAMI and then at the Busan Film Festival and recently at Cannes. Shape of Momo had a limited theatrical release in India on May 29.
The form of perfection and expectation
When you make momo as a child, no one expects the shape to be perfect. In fact, making silly shapes is encouraged because the first introduction to culture is often playful. But as an adult, that changes. You’re expected to make perfectly shaped momo—half crescents that are tender when steamed yet still hold their shape. And with that comes a dangerous idea: As an adult, you have to be perfect and stick to conventions. Graduating from college, getting a job, being the perfect daughter, being the perfect wife, and being the perfect woman – perfection is always expected of women, along with adhering to a given script.
A scene from Shape of Momo. Image Credit: Dalley Khorsani Productions/Kathkala Films/Aizoa Pictures
However, Bishnu resembles an oddly shaped Momo. She is out of place in her small village. She wears a red sweater, a red coat and drives around in a red car, which visually makes her stand out from the crowd. She is also quick-tempered, quick-witted and extremely independent. When she points out how the neighbors and plantation workers are exploiting her family, she quickly makes enemies. Her sharp tongue ultimately causes tension between her and her mother and sister.
Junu, her pregnant sister, is often dressed in pink, a color that is a lighter shade of red. She is the more conventionally attractive of the two. She is married and now pregnant, as one would expect of a woman her age. However, she also suffers from not having completed her university degree and being financially dependent on her husband, who constantly puts pressure on her. Her first act of defiance towards her husband and his family is to return home to her mother.
A scene from Shape of Momo. Image Credit: Dalley Khorsani Productions/Kathkala Films/Aizoa Pictures
The mother and grandmother of Bishnu and Junu are among the women who adhere to conventions and are both praised and pitied by society. Although both women have followed all the rules of the patriarchy, they cannot reap the rewards of being a “perfect” and compliant woman. The grandmother waits with beaming eyes for her son to take her to Dubai. What else is it good for? The always gentle mother tries to take care of her elderly mother and the family orange garden alone.
The figure of men
The first heartfelt moment of homecoming is experienced when Junu and Bishnu make momo together and have dinner with their family. This moment is significant in itself because very rarely does cinema show three generations of women eating together, so free from patriarchal surveillance that they are comfortable laughing and joking. Then a strange shaped momo comes on the plate, made by Bishnu. But behind all the laughter and teasing lies another story that’s harder to digest: Momo’s strange shape brings with it shame, not just otherness.
This moment is significant in itself because very rarely does cinema show three generations of women eating together, so free from patriarchal surveillance that they are comfortable laughing and joking.
When the main characters sit down to share momos for the second time in the film, it is at their grandmother’s funeral. This time the sisters are joined by two men – Junu’s husband and Gyan, the MLA’s son and Bishnu’s lover. Unlike last time, there is no laughter at this table.
The men start talking about how their mothers and wives make excellent momos, even though they have never set foot in the kitchen themselves. Gyan is also surprised to know that Bishnu can make momos. As the men leave the table, the empty plates seem to stare at us. Bishnu takes on the seemingly invisible work of clearing the table, washing the dishes and setting them out to dry. When Gyan later accuses Bishnu of only thinking about himself after she refuses to officially announce her relationship with his parents, she walks away.
A scene from Shape of Momo. Image Credit: Dalley Khorsani Productions/Kathkala Films/Aizoa Pictures
On the other hand, Junu is preoccupied with finding out if her unborn child is a boy. To do this, she prays to the gods, listens to videos supported only by pseudoscience, visits shamans frequently, and asks nurses if the ultrasound is “good news.” Even if the desperation for a boy is never directly discussed, the film still raises the question of why the man’s name has to be mentioned at the ultrasound appointment if he is not present at the mother-child appointment.
The form of security
In “Shape of Momo,” Rai directly draws attention to the refugee crisis in the state caused by the influx of workers from neighboring states. Despite police intervention, these workers keep showing up in the family’s backyard. At some point the women realize that the latch on the back door is broken. They panic and not only lock the entire house, but also hang men’s clothes on the drying rack to give the impression that men live there. In another incident, Gyan only stops calling the house after Gyan reprimands an unknown caller.
A scene from Shape of Momo. Image Credit: Dalley Khorsani Productions/Kathkala Films/Aizoa Pictures
“Shape of Momo” also touches on land security. Rai talks about how little compassion is shown to workers and migrant workers simply because they do not own land and are therefore denied the right to live on it. Ironically, these idyllic areas maintained by poor migrants welcome tourists willing to pay thousands for a homestay just to admire the shape and folds of the landscape, while the workers themselves rarely receive the same hospitality.
The final scene of the film is between Bishnu and her mother. As Bishnu curls up with her head on her mother’s lap – much like a momo – the mother tells her to leave the village, not in a car, but in a helicopter, signaling wealth and pride. She doesn’t want her daughter’s demise to become a cause for rumors as Bishnu was sacked by the MLA’s son. Instead, Bishnu’s departure in the helicopter becomes a form of security for her mother, protecting her from ridicule.
Aarthi (she/her) is a young feminist currently living in Jodhpur who enjoys writing about pop culture and art-related topics. In her writings she tries to position herself between self-reflection and social conversation, which leads to the exploration of unconventional ideas. In her free time she travels, writes poetry, and watches films and anime
