Cobalt Blue (Hindi)

Finally this film got a release on Netflix. I had read this book a few years back when it came out and I was looking forward to the cinematic adaptation, especially when its the writer who also decides to direct the film. I feel people are going to have mixed emotions about watching the film. It's not your typical film, but is an emotion and poetic representation of romance, heartbreak, society with the gorgeous and lush colorful and green landscapes of Kerala while playing with the color "cobalt blue" in nearly every frame. The film keeps moving form reality to imagination to poetic representation all within minutes.

Set in 1996 in beautiful town on Kochi in Kerala, we meet a Marathi family who migrated there few years back. The family has3 kids but the story primarily is of Tanay and Anuja. Tanay is a writer and a dreamer who goes to college and flirts with his professor, who returns the favor. Anuja meanwhile, is a tomboyish hockey player who prefers her game over any household chores. When a new tenant arrives in the room on the roof, things are going to soon change for both of them. The tenant never gets a name but Tanay starts spending more and more time with him, leading to his full on sexual awakening. Just when everything seemed to going well for Tanay and he feels madly and deeply in love, comes the news that Anuja has run away from home. This happens right when her family starts to pressure her to get married. Turns out she has run away with the tenant. Tanay is heart broken. Anuja comes back after few days when the man disappears from her life. Parents take her back but anther conditions. And now since Tanay knows that Anuja has had an affair with the tenant , he now keeps his diatcue from his sister who otherwise were very close. She can't understand why Tanay is behaving the way he does. Eventually both the kids run away from homes in search of their identity and individuality.

The original book was written both from the brother and sister's perspective, but the film clearly is more from Tanay's point of vie. A good chunk is spent on his love, his sexual awakening and his point of view. The sister's point of view is presented in just a few scenes where she tells her family about their short affair but as audience we never get to see it. In contrast to Tanay's love with the tenant which we get to see the whole affair, tease, flirtation, sensual and sexual nights and everything. To be honest, I am not complaining about all this, it is just a mere observation and for people who have not read the book, it wouldn't even make a difference. The direction of the film is handled in a very poetic way. Its hard to describe in words but you will know when you watch it. The way the color blue is interspersed in every single frame of the film is beautiful. The picture-perfect setting with emerald backwaters, spice godowns that have been repurposed into art galleries and houses that look like luxurious homestays, this film must have been a visual artists delight. It makes me want to be in such an environment. A popular actor Prateik Babbar who plays the tenant does extremely well in his role of the enigmatic yet very hunky and charming boy, with whom Tanay is totally smitten.All the scenes where Tanay pretty much objectifies him and dreams about him, spends time with him wanted me to go back on my late teens and go through my sexual awakening again. That time is always so special. 

The film tries to make some social statements as well through the loneliness of the professor who is struggling with being openly gay, his relationship with his student Tanay, the whole patriarchal system, domestic abuse and sexual oppression. But all these topics are just very lightly touched without really going deep into any of it. And to be honest, that was never the point of the film. The film is about the journey of these individuals, their growth and their self-acceptance. Actor paying Tanay, with his wide-eyes innocence has his charm that you are instantly attracted to him. So do all the other actors. I can see that this film is not going to everyone's cup of tea, for sure. Personally for me, the Indian connection and the hunger to see a story I have read come alive on screen connects me to the film a lot closer than anything else would do. I am in no way an artist, but seeing this film stunning visuals and its representation of art in almost every single frame (including hockey scenes), I wish I had a little bit of an artist inside me. (7/10)