Cruelty

Director Statement

The inspiration for CRUELTY came to me when my daughter was born. As a queer, second-generation immigrant, I often reflect on what aspects of my Indian heritage I want to pass down to her. The myth of the goddess Kali felt like the perfect story to share — one that speaks to the inner strength women possess to stand up against oppression.

Kali is an enduring symbol of resistance. In one particular myth, an evil king, driven by his thirst for power, was granted the ability to ask the gods for any boon, except immortality. Believing he had outwitted them, the king requested that he could only be killed in battle by a woman. Confident in his supposed invincibility, he unleashed a reign of terror upon his subjects.

But then Kali appeared, disguised as a beautiful woman, determined to protect the innocent and restore justice. The king, arrogant and smitten, asked for her hand in marriage. Kali agreed, but only on the condition that he defeat her in combat first. Underestimating the mysterious woman’s strength, the king ignored the three chances Kali gave him to retreat. When the battle began, Kali revealed her true, fearsome form and destroyed him.

Cruelty transposes this ancient myth into a contemporary American setting. A man underestimates a young transgender woman, believing he can harass her without consequence – until Kali intervenes. As in the myth, the goddess offers him several chances to walk away, but his arrogance ultimately seals his fate. The film’s theme is universal and timeless — it speaks to the fatal mistake of underestimating a woman’s power.

Transgender actress and activist Isis King (Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us) brings both tenderness and fierce strength to her unique portrayal of Kali. I first noticed Isis in the Amazon Prime series WITH LOVE, where she conveyed a delicate emotional vulnerability essential to the first half of our film. Later, I saw her in the HBO Max series WHEN THEY SEE US, where her performance radiated raw, intense power — exactly the energy we needed to bring our vision of Kali to life.

Kali embodies a timeless strength that transcends cultural boundaries. She represents the fierce, almost otherworldly power that women can summon when pushed to their limits. As both protector and avenger, Kali stands as a force of justice against oppression and cruelty.

Cruelty is about embracing that inner resilience. It reveals that this strength exists within all women, and that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable oppression, there is always a deep well of power within to overcome. My hope is that through this story, my daughter will recognize the inner strength Kali represents and be inspired to discover her own.