Geeli Pucchi(2021)
Bharti Mandal, a qualified Dalit factory worker, dreams of a better-paying job but loses it to Priya Sharma, hired through connections. Bitter, Bharti hides her caste, but an unlikely bond forms when Priya confides her unhappiness in marriage and lack of real skills. Their intimacy carries unspoken queer desire—moments of tenderness, longing, and suppressed attraction. Yet caste and heteronormativity shape their fates: Bharti is humiliated at work, while Priya retreats into prescribed roles of wife and mother. In the end, Priya quits after giving birth, and Bharti finally secures the job. The story reveals how caste, class, and patriarchy deny both women the freedom to love and live authentically.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 1 December 2021
- Director
- Neeraj Ghaywan
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 43m
- Rating
- 7.9/10
Storyline
Bharti, a factory worker from a marginalized caste, loses a promotion to Priya, who got the job through family connections. Though resentful at first, Bharti befriends Priya, and they share a close, unspoken attraction. In the end, social pressures around caste, class, and family keep them apart, as Priya leaves her job and Bharti finally gets the position.
“Two women. A secret bond. A world that keeps them apart.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Trivia
- The film was part of the Netflix anthology 'Ajeeb Daastaans', which featured four short films about complex relationships.
- Director Neeraj Ghaywan had previously explored caste in his acclaimed debut 'Masaan', making this a continuation of his thematic focus.
- The film's title 'Geeli Pucchi' translates to 'Wet Kiss', a metaphor for the unexpressed desire between the two main characters.
- Actress Konkona Sen Sharma, who played Priya, also served as a creative producer for the entire 'Ajeeb Daastaans' anthology.
- The film's realistic factory setting was praised for its authenticity in depicting the working-class environment.
- It is considered one of the few mainstream Hindi films to explicitly intertwine themes of caste discrimination and queer female desire.
- The intimate scenes between the leads were noted for their subtlety, using gestures and glances rather than explicit dialogue.