by Cain Noble-Davies
Worth: $16.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Mona Ambegaonkar, Shishir Sharma, Satvik Bhatia, Arpit Chaudhary, Abhay Kulkarni, Veenah Nair, Yamini Singh, Yateen Karyekar, Teo Wickenbergh
Intro:
… captivating performances, heartfelt writing, and atmospheric warmth surrounding all these intertwining stories of hard-won happiness.
Evening Shadows, the 2018 film from Indian LGBTQ pioneer Sridhar Rangayan, was a compelling look at a difficult moment for the nation’s Queer history. Specifically, it was framed around the landmark decision to repeal Section 377 (a remnant of British rule that illegalised homosexuality), focusing on the relationship between Gay man Kartik (Satvik Bhatia) and his mother Vasudha (Mona Ambegaonkar) after he comes out to her.
The sequel, Dreams Such as Ours, may lack the historical specificity that drove its predecessor, but only because it’s working directly from the character foundation it so lovingly nurtured the first time around. The relationship between Kartik and Aman (Arpit Chaudhary) does get stuck in some Swedish twink-influenced melodrama early on, but their chemistry is still as heartwarming and adorable as ever.
It also continues the winning on-screen presence of this series’ true main character in Vasudha, whose furthering journey of acceptance and allyship is given rousing power through Ambegaonkar’s performance. Whether she’s ironing out the aforementioned forced relationship drama, giving premium Aunty shade while shopping, or loudly and proudly declaring her happiness for her son’s love, she is worth the ticket price all on her own.
Where this follow-up really earns its merits is in the visible improvements; the choppy artificial slow-mo shots still cheapen the film’s look, but the visual quality of the shots by DP Subhransu Das allow more of the environment and its inhabitants to spring forth and amplify the emboldening spirit of the story.
Then there’s the two biggest sticking points from the original: Kartik’s father Damodar (Shishir Sharma) and his uncle Ramesh (Abhay Kulkarni). The former is still serving as the oppressive patriarch of the family unit, the kind of guy who would hold funeral rites for his still-living Gay son out of selfish pride, but his progression here shows him slouching towards a better place, while still making it clear that he’s got a lot of work to do.
But that’s almost pedestrian compared to how much Ramesh, or rather Rama, is redeemed here. Shifting entirely from the Gay Panic stereotyping from the previous film, which were so incongruent that they threatened to ruin the entire point, she is instead given space to show the Kinnar experience (a term used in northern India for Trans people).
Kulkarni takes this chance to be more than just a caricature, empathetically showing the internalised shame and later liberation of living her truth to bolster the film’s larger portrayal of the true meaning of Pride: living joyously in defiance of the notion that their existence is inherently shameful.
Dreams Such as Ours refines the characters in Evening Shadows, and is a comforting look at just how much improvement has been made in the recognition of the Indian LGBTQ community in the years since the first film’s release. There’s still choppiness in the film craft, but such things are easy enough to look past in favour of the captivating performances, heartfelt writing, and atmospheric warmth surrounding all these intertwining stories of hard-won happiness.
