Jottings - Slice of life - 441 ( Sir - is love enough? a sensitive and beautiful cinematic masterpiece By Rohena Gera. A must watch!!)
It is not often in Indian cinema, do we see films that reflect the best qualities of the cinematic art form. Most of our movies slide down the slippery slope of commercialism, and even good stories, which can be told without any commercial ornamentation, are timidly told with an eye on the cash register only. This is tragic but true. How many times have we not seen a good and socially meaningful story lose its meaning halfway through the movie, and the director lets the story meander aimlessly for lack of conviction or unsure of purpose? How many times have we not painfully seen a film that begins in right earnest to expose the oppressive social stratification in India, and only ends up creating larger than life heroes of ordinary characters and impossible endings? How many times has a film purporting to be a true commentary on the dignity of labor, become caricatures of these very ideas, for want of discipline screenplay and focussed narrative? and more importantly, How many times have we had the courage to tell a love story, without the pull and push of physical attraction, but as a healthy relationship that projects love primarily as a capacity for restraint and empathy, to lift people from their given circumstances and draw out the best in each other? Indian movies, by and large, start off with great intentions, but rarely muster the strength to stick to the original vision, and often allow good stories to go waste and be less impactful than what it could have been.
But, of course, there are exceptions, and Rohena Gera’s 2018 film “Sir” with the subtext “Is love enough?” is one of those rare gems of Hindi cinema that remains true to the story it wishes to tell, and a movie we cannot afford to miss at any cost. It is now available on Netflix. It is the story of an evolving relationship between a maid and her master — a rich and young architect who has just broken up with his girlfriend. Set in the sprawling city of Mumbai with its sky-scraping brilliance, Rohena’s directorial frames evoke the disorienting magnitude of the city and the existential loneliness it can generate. The cadence of the sunrise and the sunset, the act of waking up, getting dressed, mechanically eating and sleeping, and exchanging monotonous pleasantries, provide the backdrop for this beautifully nuanced attraction that develops, unconsciously, slowly — and unwittingly perhaps — between Ratna and Ashwin. Actress Tillotama Shome, as Ratna the maid, gives us one of the finest performances in recent times. Utterly unglamorized, this young student of the Theatre from the New York University, has captured the hopes, the fears, the anxiety, and the intense servility of a “servant” that is common in rich Indian households. Tillotama has perfectly captured the demure presence of a maid, gliding in and out with noiseless feet in the midst of people who ignore her presence or treat her with haughty disdain. In her bearing and behavior as Ratna, Tillotama manages to showcase the implicit social distance that still glaringly exists in modern India. That a maid is socially inferior, and her work is menial and not comparable to white collared jobs their masters are engaged in — is beautifully brought out by Rohena without relying on exaggerated histrionics. In every frame, the gaping psychological distance between the masters and servants is palpable. Only Ashwin finds himself drawn to Ratna. He finds in her a person he can trust, and who can give him the space he needs.
In fact, the story will be familiar to all viewers. Nothing new in the rich- boy- falls- in-love -with-a- poor- girl theme. What is different however is the treatment — both visual and narrative — of the story. With just four actors, three locations, a gentle flute in the background, and aesthetically shot camera angles, the movie manages to keep the storyline moving with great energy and insight. It is a taut psychological journey with no extremes. The characters are true to themselves, and the gentle unfolding of the climax doesn’t look forced at all. Even in the most intimate scene of the movie, there is hesitation, a groping, indecision, and a tentative thrust towards breaking a set mold of social structure. All this struggle and pulling-apart is made visible through some incredible acting that doesn’t seem out of proportion at all. The sheer naturalness of the acting makes the story real and true for the viewer.
The stand-out performance is from Tillotama Shome. There is no doubt about that. I wonder if anyone else from the big names in the industry could have done justice to Ratna’s role. Perhaps, one or two could have. But again, that would have added unnecessary star power to the movie, and taken away some of the beauty and realism of it. Discerning viewers will recognize Tilottama for her cameo role in the Hindi thriller “Shanghai”, but for others, she will be a revelation. It is clear that Tillotama is a serious student of acting. She has studied the craft with all the discipline it takes to master and channelize one’s passion. I could not spot even a moment of indecision in her performance. So sure, confident, and appropriate were her bodily and facial expressions. In an hour and thirty minutes, Tillotama managed to bring Ratna to life for us. We were able to get into the skin of the character. Her emotions became ours. That, in my opinion, is a visual art form at its best, when a viewer can dissolve their private selves into the fictional selves portrayed on the screen or the stage — and the fiction becomes real.
It is the climax of “Sir” that is breathtaking in its implication. Without spoiling the ending, here is the general drift of the scene: Ratna slips up to the terrace of the Apartment complex, leans against the terrace wall somberly looking at the sprawling Mumbai metropolis in its night-time glory. She is sad that she couldn’t meet the man she came up to meet but equally excited. A few moments later, her phone rings. She glances at the call, and her face muscles tighten up. She hesitates to answer the call, her breath quickens and becomes harder as she musters the courage to surmount an invisible psychological barrier. Finally, she presses the answer button and addresses the caller with a single word. That single-word address is the crescendo of the movie and the powerful message of this beautiful drama. In that one word, the movie transforms itself from a gentle story about social inequalities to a powerful and uplifting paradigm of social equality and change. Nothing more needs to be said or shown after that word is spoken. Everything is implicit and clear in that one word — the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis.
I request my readers who have access to Netflix to watch this movie without fail. “Sir” is a shining example of how a movie must be made, and what does acting mean in the context of cinema. Rohena Gera has given us a gem without too much fuss. The work shimmers with intelligence, and the movie is as riveting and purposeful as a work of art should be. It is not surprising that the movie has already gathered quite a few international awards, and Tillotama's excellent performance acknowledged by several film bodies. With the movie's release on Netflix, it is bound to get more appreciation and accolades for its unpretentious directorial process and the mesmerizing tale of love, dignity, self-respect, and inner growth.
It is worth watching more than once, and I am sure, it will go down in history as one of the classics of modern Hindi cinema.
God bless..,
yours in mortality,
Bala
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