Trailer Review: Pitta Kathalu Seems To Delve Deep Into Female Narratives

Women of Pitta Kathalu: The trailer for Netflix's much-awaited Telugu anthology, Pitta Kathalu, released on Friday to a nod from the audience. Centred around the lives of women, the four short films see Amala Paul, Lakshmi Manchu, Saanve Megghana and Shruti Haasan in pivotal roles, tracing their respective journeys through worlds of drama, romance, and thriller. The Telugu anthology is set for a February 19 release online.

Season 1 of Pitta Kathalu is divided into four segments: Ramula, Meera, xLife and Pinky. Being hailed as a "bold" project by audiences, the trailer seems to delve deep into the distinctions and similarities that bring women of the world together. Pitta Kathalu, through the trailer, is looking to be held together by one major plot - driven solely by the women - comprising of further micro-plots of other occurrences in their worlds.  

Women of Pitta Kathalu on the Female Narrative

Ever since the anthology was announced, there has been high excitement around the release of Pitta Kathalu, since it is headlined by some of the most prominent women from the Telugu film industry. Manchu, sharing the trailer on Friday, mentioned, "4 unconventional journeys of 4 different women challenging the society norms." 

Paul, who plays Meera in the short of the same name, said on her role, "Meera is the story of a courageous woman and her ordeals... There is so much enigma to the character of this woman Meera standing up against society but at the same time, trying to hide her true self from the world.”

Women of Pitta Kathalu open up on playing vocal women

Haasan, meanwhile, said, "Playing a character of a woman who is strong and speaks up against the preconceived notions of society was an incredible experience."

How Much Of The Male Gaze In The Women Of Pitta Kathalu? 

While the trailer seems like the anthology is set to take a poignant perspective on women's lives, it's worth questioning how much of this woman-centric narrative stems from a male gaze, given how, barring one, all other shorts have been made by men. 

The trailer clearly hints at giving its female cast agency - in matters of sexuality, desires, and decisions - a judgment on how empowering Pitta Kathalu really turns out to be can only be concluded once the audience sees these women's stories in its entirety when the anthology releases.

Watch the trailer of Pitta Kathalu here: