WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
There is no denying we all face the storms found within ourselves. They rage, they bluster, they stir our souls, drench our spirits, and strike our hearts and minds with the winds of truths we don’t always wish to face, or otherwise long to share, with results that may or may not grant is the calm we seek. As always the longstanding questions shall remain–do we accept the storm and its intent, finding a way to be at peace with it, or allow it to consume us utterly? The evening has arrived, and a beautiful young woman (Konkona Sen Sharma) ponders the night’s upcoming events, mainly the date she as about to embark on with a new suitor (Priyanshu Painyuli).
Yet, as she contemplates what will unfold during the date, a premediated action long in coming, her troubled mind begins to wander back to previous times she’s spent advising other men about the exact same thing she desires to reveal to this most recent choice, even though she also realizes that in divulging specifically what her past contains, it is hard to picture the subsequent reaction being any different than the disheartening, painful, and unhappy moments she’s already experienced. As monsoon rains soak her to the bone, a cab ride becomes a random series of interactions with strangers dealing with various stages of love’s tempests both good and bad, the time she has anticipated finally emerges, and the choice to truly be who she is once again manifests.
Next, my Mind:
One of the two shorts screened as part of the LGBTQI-based programming at the 2019 Dallas Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival sponsored by Toyota USA, this 21-minute film delivered one of the most achingly haunting, deeply saddening, yet prominently stirring and emotionally striking narratives at this year’s festival, thanks to the total intentionality by director Tanuja Chandra and writer Gazal Dhaliwal to represent the all-too-real circumstances, bittersweet encounters, and sense of having to accept without question the facts about their identity that are occurring every day to those who are a part of the LGTBQI community. The film’s marvelously executed format allows the viewer to be totally entranced by one young woman’s outward appeal and confident yet shaken vulnerability while then being treated to glimpses into her childhood and the heartrending concerns about possibly never finding someone to love that she battles within day in and day out, all while carrying the burden of everyone she’s attempted to connect with rejecting her in clearly shocked fashion, leaving her to sit and once again feel the associated sorrow and discouragement.
What this critic feels is that regardless of what your general thoughts or notions are towards the LGBTQI community, there is no getting past the fact that the overt hatred and grander misunderstanding that is directed towards them is so unneeded, as there’s already enough anger and resentment in this world, too many believing there is no right or wrong, no moral center to at least be founded on, to cast further judgement upon a group simply because you don’t agree with them, their choices, or their lifestyle. Now, there’s the total freedom OF choice to be made, and if it wouldn’t be your particular direction to pursue, that’s perfectly fine. But, there are ways to go about it that wouldn’t involve such blatant disdain being ushered in the other party’s direction, which is what gets addressed here through subtlety on the surface that masks evident, dare we say, disgust underneath. No one deserves to get treated that way when all they are seeking is to be loved and cherished for who they are, regardless of race, gender, sex, creed, or religion. Sure we won’t always agree, but again, there are ways to also accept that without it turning into a hateful interaction.
Making the film have the high impact, emotively potent, soul-stirring gravitas at its core goes, without any hesitancy, to the mesmerizing performance of lead actress Sen Sharma, who pours so much sincerity, unguarded transparency, and unequivocally intense conviction into her role here as the young woman, a sublimely alluring soul who harbors a secret she tries to be proud of, yet struggles to truly accept given the constant search for acceptance and newfound adoration she craves yet cannot seem to attain. Consistent flashbacks cloud her mind, remembering a childhood of revelation and uncertainty as it now represents reminders of exactly how her journey began, the decisions it lead to, and the now-present inner deluge she faces even as a literal one comes about as she takes a cab to the next potential bout with dejection. Yet, in spite of it all, and even if it doesn’t seem like it immediately, she hangs strongly onto who she is, trying to discover the fortitude to expect the ramifications of each attempt at connection and still manage to maintain some sense of hope that it will work out. On this particular evening, how it all culminates leads to a brief instance of said hope, with a finale that leaves you stunned and purposefully melancholic, with Sen Sharma’s wonderfully astute and ethereally beautiful performance outwardly and inwardly echoing in your mind.
Two primary supporting turns arrive here from Painyuli as the newest man to find himself attracted to and interested in the young woman, and who’s world is possibly about to be shaken, with a determination to then make that will affect both of them, and Chittaranjan Tripathy as the highly talkative cab driver who may not know exactly what to think of his mostly subdued passenger, even as others join the pair on the ride to her destination. In total, as this critic has mentioned before in previous reviews about thematic explorations such as this, while it’s not my personal preference in subject matter, again the art of filmmaking very much transcends that to present a deeply moving short film drama that will leave a distinct impression on you and perhaps at least cause you to reconsider how much we as human beings need to put aside such overt hate and disdain for what we don’t agree with and at least get back to treating each other with due respect, understanding, and love.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
