No, Qala is not based on a true story. It is 2022 Netflix period psychological drama film starring Tripti Dimri, Swastika Mukherjee and Babil Khan in the lead roles. The film is written and directed by Anvita Dutt and produced by Clean Slate Filmz. Qala was released on Netflix on 1st December 2022.
Qala explores topics like childhood trauma, dynamics of mother-daughter relationships, ambition, mental health and rampant misogyny in the male-dominated music industry of 1930s-1940s India. The period setting and emotional depth, along with loose inspiration from the era’s classical music scene and historical figures impart an authentic feel to the movie.
Plot Summary
Qala is centred on Qala Manjushree who is a talented playback singer rising fast in the male-dominated dominated music industry in the colonial India of 1930s-1940s. Despite her success, Qala suffers from deep emotional trauma, which we learn about through flashbacks.
Qala’s mother Urmila Manjushree, a renowned Thumri singer, was pregnant with twins. However, her son dies in the womb while Qala survives. Consequently, Urmila resents her daughter right from birth. Even though Urmila trains Qala in classical music, she withholds her maternal affection.
A pivotal moment in Qala’s life comes when Urmila discovers Jagan, an extraordinary talented street singer. Urmila takes him under her wings, showers him with maternal love and grooms him as her successor. Qala is sidelined and reduced to being a sidekick of Jagan. Jealousy consumes Qala. As a result, in an act of sabotage, she mixes mercury in Jagan’s food. Even though Qala intended to damage his voice and eliminate competition, he is killed.
Back in the present, Qala’s success masks deepening emotional trauma and mental unravelling. She suffers from hallucinations about Jagan, insomnia and breakdowns. In a tragic ending, Qala takes her own life, overwhelmed by guilt and lifelong rejection.
Parallels with Master Madan
While the creators have not explicitly stated that Qala is based on Master Madan, audience and critics have alluded to the similarity between the stories of Master Madan and the fictional character Jagan in the movie.
Master Madan was a child prodigy who rose to fame as a ghazal singer in the 1930s-1940s. However, his career ended with his death at the tender age of 14. He apparently passed away due to mercury poisoning. It was suspected that his milk was spiked with mercury by a jealous upcoming singer.