This Hindi movie is a pretty straightforward slice-of-life story that tries to give a modern look at what it's like to be a single, professional gay man. It dives into how he understands who he is, the chances he missed out on, and the personal choices he’s made along the way. The director used three parallel timelines to tell the story, which honestly didn't make much sense to me. While the core idea was actually pretty interesting, I really feel like this would have worked way better as a short film considering the point it was trying to make. Still, it wasn't a bad watch. The plot centers on Rachit, a city professional, and his friend Shikhar as they hang out for an evening. Rachit is a polished, urban guy, while Shikhar has more of a "small-town" rustic vibe, and you can really see the contrast between them when they talk. As the night goes on, Rachit starts thinking back to some old memories from a long time ago. He remembers being an intern after college in ...
The documentary arrives at essential truths about suffering and loss through abstract means. At a coffee shop, François’s sister relives the day she told her parents about her brother’s death. But the mother corrects her, probably with a hint of bitterness that suggests resentment for not having learned of her son’s death first or, more likely, an attempt to compensate for the fact that she will never know the full extent of what her son suffered during the last five minutes of his life. Once we witness the family's pain, the focus moves to the legal proceedings and the three day trial. The perpetrators were sentenced to 20 and 15 years respectively after recounting of what really happened that night. But the overarching theme is when 6 months after the trial, Francois' parents send an open letter to the youths who murdered their son in which they advise them to move beyond hatred. The camera eavesdrops on discussions between the attorneys, social workers and, most importantly, documents the Chenu family's sorrow and their noble, yet frustrated, attempts to understand how the killers' racist and xenophobic upbringings could result in such pointless, and hate-fueled, violence.
I feel the overarching theme of this documentary was more around tolerance and forgiving rather than sensationalizing. The open letter at the end is a healing act which contains a genuine sense of forgiveness and reconciliation. In a world where hatred and revenge are tolerated, this documentary shows that there is another path that can be taken, one that cherishes and reverences human life no matter what. This documentary is highly recommended for its positive modeling of the spiritual practice of forgiveness. The equanimity with which Francois' family handle the trial and its aftermath offers a heroic example. And thankfully the documentary director also stays away from any kind of sensationalism, which in my opinion is the biggest win of this documentary. The subject needs respect and a dignified approach and the documentary does exactly that putting the case into a wider socio-cultural context. camera eavesdrops on discussions between the attorneys, social workers and, most importantly, documents the Chenu family's sorrow and their noble, yet frustrated, attempts to understand how the killers' racist and xenophobic upbringings could result in such pointless, and hate-fueled, violence. (6/10)
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