Masaan (2015)
Masaan in its English translation means crematorium, but the film, in its wider release, is named Fly Away Solo. This dichotomy of tone between the translations can be seen throughout the film and that is where Neeraj Ghaywan scored in his brilliant debut feature. The film is uplifting but heartbreaking, reflecting on both sorrow and hope and thus transcends to something that can be as refreshing as the morning air. In Masaan, the story, set in Banaras, is woven around two primary protagonists, Deepak(Vicky Kaushal) and Devi(Richa Chadda). One of them faces tragedy early in the film, and the other one sees its devastating form later. But, predictably, and here 'predictably' should not be taken in a negative way, both of their lives converge; one finding closure through struggle and another solace amidst loneliness. Masaan is not plot-driven, but character-driven; the like we see in Iranian and Romanian new wave films. It is not much of a story-telling than portrayal of lif