Lootera

In a village, a young archaeologist falls in love with a landlord’s daughter. Their union seems doomed. But destiny brings them together a year later. Will they live happily ever after?

Loosely based on an O'Henry short story, The Last Leaf, so it is no surprise that this story is full of twists, turns, and reversals. With redemption in the end. I am loathe to say too much lest I reveal the surprises which caught all of us off-guard and filled us with suspense in the last third of the film.

The directing was highly confident and in a more Western style than you usually expect from Bollywood. There were silences creating space for us to think and wonder. Character development was subtle, mature, and believable. And the cinematography was simply beautiful, reinforcing the themes of each act.

Highly recommended and we're going to look for more from this director.

Rating — Introduction to Bollywood (come on in, the water's fine!)