Cast: Tillotama Shome,Ahmareen Anjum,Vivek Gomber,Geetanjali Kulkarni

Director Rohena Gera

BLUF:

Ratna is a live-in maid at Ashwin’s home. Ashwin, a writer, back from New York to support his family after his brother passes away, is dealing with his loss and heartbreak of having to walk out of his own wedding. The two, living under one roof, develop a relationship based on emotional empathy, trust, and mutual respect.

THE MEAT AND THE POTATOES

An exploration of class barriers in the Indian society, it also delves deep into narrow mindedness of these impediments that we have created ourselves in our societies.

Open-minded Ashwin falls in love with Ratna who is deeply sensitive about the inappropriateness of their relationship from the point of view of society. It is only when they separate that they realize the depth of their feelings for each other.

IN THE ZONE

Tilotama Shome shines in her portrayal of a woman torn between her feelings and the expectations of society. Where she wants to be more than what she is, yet feels that she does not belong in Ashwin’s world. Vivek Gomber as Ashwin delivers a satisfactory performance.

This movie was first screened at Cannes in 2018 and won critical acclaim for the treatment of a simple story of an interclass romance so delicately. Rohena Gera’s direction is subtle and almost perfect for the story. Each scene, in action, in silences, and in its composition tells the evolution of the relationship more than the dialogue conveys.

FWAR

Ratna’s caution versus Ashwin’s naiveté is the interplay behind this very simple yet complex story. The sensitivity with which the story is presented is delicate yet very effective. The strongest point of this film is the execution of this story, saying a lot without having to explicitly word it.

WHAT WE LOVED

The cast, the writing, great dialogues the technical experience of the storytelling.

WHAT WE MISSED

Some slow parts could have been omitted. Better music.