Quirky Vampire Comedy Sister Midnight (FANTASTIC) Takes Viewers on a Journey Through Mumbai

Title: Sister Midnight

First Non-Festival Release: TBD

Director: Karan Kandhari

Writer: Karan Kandhari

Runtime: 110 Minutes

Starring: Radhika Apte, Chhay Kadam, Ashok Pathak

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2024.

Uma (Radhika Apte) recently married Gopal (Ashok Pathak) and moved to the city far away from their hometown village. Settling in poorly to life as a housewife, Uma finds herself restless and irritated with Gopal. Slowly, she begins to feel sicker until she cannot ignore the physical changes and the unquenchable thirst that she can barely control.

Absurdist vampire comedy Sister Midnight delights with deconstruction of the vampire myth.

Re-introducing audiences to the loneliness of vampires, Sister Midnight takes a different path to showcase Uma’s transformation. Freshly married and whisked away to the city, Uma has no idea how to navigate life in Mumbai. Ignorant to how to keep a home, unsure how to communicate with her husband, and desperate to escape the crushing boredom of life alone, Uma struggles to carve a path for herself. Seeking solace in her only friend, her neighbor Sheetal (Chhaya Kadam), and eventually securing a job with a three-hour commute, Uma seemingly finds herself. Then, when Sheetal pulls away and Gopal proves himself incompetent, she begins to transform from her situation. This inspired take on vampirism allows for Sister Midnight to play with the subgenre conventions and explore these ideas further.

Uma makes for a relatable loser that is just trying to fake it in a world that doesn’t make sense to her. A journey punctuated by her inability to fit into social expectations, Uma’s character engenders plenty of goodwill from the audience as she enters into unfamiliar territory. Her attempts at friendship, work, and marriage are all shaded with a bright comedic tone that showcases just how far out of her element she is in Mumbai. While the setting isn’t universal, her struggles are. Slowly, Uma learns enough to mask but that becomes undone by the vampiric curse threatening to take over her life. This metaphor takes hold not because of her efforts but in spite of them. The more she feels out of her element and isolated, the more the curse takes hold. While sad at times, Uma experiences freedom and community in ways she never thought possible because of this transformation. She becomes more of herself by becoming something completely unknown to her and everyone around her, which is a beautiful thing to conceive.

As endearing as Uma’s odyssey is, the film hits a lull in the middle that kills the momentum. Once Uma’s transformation fully takes hold, Sister Midnight struggles to maintain the energy and surprising nature of its first act. With most of the tricks already revealed, more focus is put on Uma’s waffling direction in life. The comedy becomes more predictable as Uma’s character does too. What once was the shining beacon of the film becomes more of an irritation when it continues the same pattern of mishaps.

Physical comedy and deadpan humor highlight just how wild embracing your inner desires can be and what you have to give up to achieve that.  Much of the film’s humor falls on the shoulders of Radhika Apte, who does a commendable job of keeping the film’s heart centered. Uma is constantly questioning her environment and pointing out the ridiculousness of double standards and social norms. As the comical implications of her vampirism become more apparent, it’s clear that Sister Midnight seeks to cut through the social dynamics at play in Uma’s life.

Altogether a delightful film that leans heavily into its comedy, Sister Midnight is an accessible gateway into the world of vampires that any cinephile can appreciate. Laced with questions about the purpose and transitory nature of life, Sister Midnight proves that the answers don’t get easier with time. Strong performances and a unique sense of humor make Sister Midnight an endearing genre film that hits deeper than its quirks. Although not available in the States yet, don’t hold off on adding this to your watchlist if you are ready for a journey unlike many others.

Overall Score? 6/10