A nuanced love story
October explores complex human relationships in trademark Shoojit Sircar style, writes
In the age of Tinder, Juhi Chaturvedi (of Piku and Vicky Donor fame) manages to weave a poignant story of romance in the most unconventional of settings. October (and yes, the movie does explain the title eventually) is not for everyone, but is definitely a stride towards better, braver storytelling in Bollywood.
The film follows the lives of Dan (Varun Dhawan) and Shiuli (Banita Sandhu), both hotel management trainees, bound together by tragedy. It also stars Geetanjali Rao as Mrs Iyer, the resilient mother of the comatose Shiuli. These three form the main cast.
As a debutant, Sandhu holds her own. While she is good at dialogue delivery and acting in the first half hour of the film, her distant stare as a paraplegic is entirely haunting in the rest of the film. The scene where she throws a tantrum, partly because she is angry at Dhawan’s absence and partly because of her inability to express her feelings, is touching.
Rao as the strong-willed mother is a delight on screen. From subtle eye movement to quivering lips and to the straightening of her back as she resolves to remain strong for her daughter, all send the message loud and clear.
Dhawan, right there in the spotlight, manages to do the best he can. Unfortunately, there are glaring slips in his performance. While most of these can be overlooked, there are some scenes where his character can be confused as being obsessive rather than an invested friend. All in all, though, Dhawan gets the acting right and eventually shines.
The real star of the movie though is writer Juhi Chaturvedi, who has written the story, dialogue and screenplay. While she has proven her mettle with movies like Vicky Donor and Piku, in October she manages to weave a story around two people, one of whom cannot speak, and makes the audience root for them. The interactions between Dan and Shiuli seem appropriately awkward at first and then almost effortless. Some may complain about the pace of the film, but then not every movie can be fast paced. Horses for courses, they say, and this one takes its time.
A special note to the absence of screen time dedicated to songs. The songs play in the background, lifting scenes and driving the point home rather than halting the pace and breaking the mood. The music is soothing and does not overpower the story, and frankly, that’s a relief.
Shoojit Sircar is no stranger to directing stories with complex human relationships. He handled Piku deftly, exploring the often tumultuous relationship between a single father and his independent daughter and, here, he explores a series of other complex relationships. While Dan and Shiuli have a unique connection, the former’s relationship with Mrs Iyer is pure delight. They are linked by their affection for the ailing Shiuli, and also by their shared grief. Rao takes the lead in most scenes the two share together and it’s worth every moment.
The direction has some signature shots of Delhi from Sircar’s lens and some of them are breathtaking. (Those familiar with his work may also wonder if Shiuli’s house is the same as Piku’s. It doesn’t take anything away or add to the story, but is a nice touch of familiarity.)
In the end, October is much more than a love story, however unconventional. If you’re up for some great frames of Delhi and Kullu, a different kind of love story, and really want to know why the film is named October, do watch it.