Time doesn’t matter, neither does the evolution of cinema nor the ones who consume it. Infidelity is always a taboo in our country for a lot of people. To dismiss their views as entirely backward won’t be fair, for them, love is sacred and relationships are holy. Filmmakers are aware, and yet, there’s something that draws them to explore this subject.
Shakun Batra, who chooses a dramatic subject and pacifies it with his nuanced style of filmmaking, now places his eyes at adultery with Gehraiyaan. Batra brings on board Deepika Padukone, Ananya Panday, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Dhairya Karwa to tell his version and vision of emotionally broken souls and how physical bonding acts as a tool of healing.
The trailer is devoid of cacophony and yet makes a lot of noise. It’s the story of a couple whose relationship is on the brink of getting stale, it’s already sour. It’s also the tale of another couple where the man is drawn to this woman’s gorgeousness. No film about this subject can exist without revelations and confrontations, followed by guilt. Padukone even asks Chaturvedi if he ever felt guilty. She also states that maybe they are messed up people. Their bodily embracement of each other transcends titillation, and never borders on voyeurism.
The greatest strength of Batra as a filmmaker is how he humanises the people that belong to him. Just like in Kapoor and Sons, even in Gehraiyaan, he chooses to tell the story of imperfect people’s imperfect lives, and how despite all the pain they suffer, they accept the brutal reality of life and go on. The Kapoor family’s final glimpse ended with a smile, but with the theme, he has opted for this time, it’s hard to imagine a happy ending.
