Poignant Saga Of Love, Loss & Happenstance, ¡®Masaan¡¯ Holds Even More Relevance In Today¡¯s Time

¡°Yeh Dukh Kaahe Khatam Nahi Hota Bey?¡±

This one line voiced by then newcomer Vicky Kaushal hit home instantly. The movie became more relevant over time. Masaan which translates to Crematorium, was cast into a separate group of offbeat movies right after release as a film with such a morbid name couldn¡¯t have fit in well with the mainstream commercial cinema category.

Director Neeraj Ghaywan made his debut with this remarkable story of love and loss. Capturing the essence of Banaras ghats and the bitter reality of life, Masaan takes us through the stories of two characters dealing with their own battles and how their journeys make them cross paths.

The first 15 minutes that are spent in the setting up of the premise is so powerful that it gives little time to even blink your eyes properly. It shuttles between love, shock and sadness - almost like a roller coaster ride of emotions.

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In the first plotline, we are introduced to Rani played by Richa Chadha who is a normal girl with stars in her eyes and a head full of curiosity about love, relationships and sex. She meets her Facebook lover in a hotel and gets intimate. The plan turns into a nightmare when police raid the hotel and barge into their room. The man locks himself in the bathroom to save himself while Rani is captured.

The police threatens the duo which sends the man in a panic mode and he ultimately commits suicide. His body is eventually dragged out of the bathroom and Rani gets a rude shock leaving her utterly devastated. Rani¡¯s miseries are only beginning as she and her simpleton father are blackmailed by a corrupt cop who threatens to upload a video of her on the internet in a bid to extort money from them.

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Parallely, another story unfolds which revolves around a couple belonging to different castes falling in love with each other on Facebook as they share the same passion for shayaris. Deepak and Shalu¡¯s sweet love story will leave you giddy but that feeling lasts for a really short while as harsh reality comes knocking on their door.

Deepak played by Vicky Kaushal belongs to a lower caste family who earns their livelihood by burning pyres. Shalu played by Shweta Tripathi, on the other hand, hails from an upper caste which compels Deepak to look for a respectable and better-earning job. Their lives turn for the worst when the girl dies in a brutal road accident leaving Deepak shattered beyond repair.

This is when Vicky¡¯s character utters the famous dialogue - ¡°yeh dukh kaahe khatam nahi hote¡±

The 100-minute drama will make you reflect on several things: love, loss, happenstance and death. Masaan might have been a realistic take on how life is unfair for each and everyone, it holds relevance more than ever now - in the era of Coronavirus.

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If you are someone who has been reflecting on how life has undergone a drastic change in the last 15-16 months then you are not alone. Drawing parallels between the film and reality, one aspect of the film revolves around how people who work at a shamshan ghat perform cremations like any other job.

Cut to present where our country witnessed mass cremations this past year. Getting a cremation spot became a tedious task so much so that instead of sending off the deceased with grace and dignity, it turned into a battle of jugaads. Suddenly, people realised the importance of cremation grounds and the workers. When families abandoned their deceased members because of fear of contracting the virus, the crematorium workers stepped up and performed their duties. It was only then that people started realising the true importance of funeral workers.

Grief is something that cannot be measured and it hits when you least expect it too. Masaan shows bereavement of Deepak who tried every possible way to sustain his relationship, even changing his career to live up to Shaalu¡¯s family¡¯s expectations. Devi¡¯s bereavement consisted of losing her lover to societal taboos and fear.

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Masaan has many layers to it. One very important layer is the city of Banaras which plays a pivotal character in itself. While on the surface, the film deals with issues like love and loss, it addresses serious issues like casteism and hardships that women of a patriarchal society have to face. Deepak was a victim of casteism which he had accepted with a pinch of salt. Devi had to lead a difficult life because she followed her heart and tried to lead her life like a ¡®rebel¡¯. Women are not supposed to follow their desires and passion but Devi broke all the rules and paid the price of falling in love and engaging in a physical relationship without getting the stamp of approval aka marriage.

Both the leads had to deal with the loss of losing their loved ones and moving on because such is life, it goes on!

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¡°Chiraagon ko aankhon mein mehfooz rakhna, Badi door tak raat hi raat hogi¡­..

Musafir hain hum bhi musafir ho tum bhi

Kisi mod par phir mulaqaat hogi¡­..¡±

This piece of shayari was recited by Shalu which somewhat translates to - keep the desire burning inside you, somewhere and in some form, you and I will meet again.

Deepak held on to his grief of losing Shalu for a long time eventually making peace with the reality, with a hope in his heart that some day at a very different place or in a completely different person, he will meet Shalu again.

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Devi on the other hand carried the grief that her boyfriend took his life because he couldn¡¯t face the societal pressure and was ashamed of engaging in premarital sex which is still considered a taboo by many.

The protagonists Devi and Deepak cross paths when she immerses the gift that she received from her late boyfriend in the Ganga river and is spotted crying by Deepak who offers her water. They both then take a boat ride which takes them towards Sangam while they indulge in a conversation. Thus, calling back to the dialogue - One should visit Sangam twice - once alone, and the second time with someone.

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This poignant yet liberating film went on to win the Fipresci, and the International Jury of Film Critics and ?Promising Future Prize in Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2015.

We are in desperate need of such a moving cinema! Filmmakers are you listening?