Review: ‘Cargo:’ Unique Sci-FI with a Mixture of Afterlife and Mythology


In the past few years we have seen many different takes on the story. Sometimes, the creativity we see is beyond our understanding, especially in independent film space. Indie film’s unique characteristics are their approach to showcase their creative and artistic ways, despite not getting equal attention as mainstream. Many famous film directors like Christopher Nolan, Woody Allen, and Anurag Kashyap have started with this space. As Indian cinema is growing, the new era filmmakers are making their mark with such medium. One such example is debut director Arati Kadav’s “Cargo.”

The story takes place in a time when rakshasa (demons or goblins) and humans have found restful terms to co-exist. Prahastha (Vikrant Massey) is a rakshasa acknowledged for his everlasting experience on the spaceship Pushpak 634A. This spaceship is one of the six functioning for the Post-Death Transition Services company, which helps humans transition to their next existence after the human world. His confidant and communication with the exterior world is his demon supervisor Nitigya Sir (Nandu Madhav), stationed back on Earth. When casualty of destiny comes to the advent of the Pushpak 634A with no clue of what will happen next, Prahastha ambivalently escorts them, showing the least interest about the visitors he’s processing. The newly dead arrivals don’t seem more attached to the lives they’ve just lost, although several are determined to place a final conversation to their loved ones.

As Prahastha’s caseload on the spaceship starts to stack up, he gets a new subordinate named Yuviksha (Shweta Tripathi), another rakshasa who has magical healing powers. Together they endeavor to find the right footing. Somehow Yuviksha’s company reminds him of his connection to his home planet. Soon, we get to know that he has been carrying emotional baggage, which causes him to try and reunite with a person he had feelings for 75 years back.

While science fiction movies have existed in India, there haven’t been any films that take the full leap of dedicating its entire narrative to space. And while fantasy in India has done explicitly relating to epic religious tales, nothing comes exclusively after death. Yet, this sci-fi fantasy film is only on its circumference. 

Shweta Tripathi in a scene from “Cargo” (2019).

“Cargo” exhibits human drama and relationships between people as the primary key between all components of the metaphysical. “Cargo” is engrossing, surprising, and unique in that it’s a sci-fi film with minimal effects in terms of visuals and FX. Instead, director-writer Arati Kadav smartly apprehends attentiveness with a gripping interpretation of the afterlife. Her vision takes viewers through a persuasive space film with a low budget and no minimal exposure. It shows that it is not all about the science, but is driven with emotion and intertwined with Indian mythology. There are some minimal flaws, but the curiosity to know more and more keeps it alive. 

The music of Shezan Shaikh helps the story and the cinematography of Kaushal Shah helps to exhibit the director’s vision. The fantastic production design of Mayur Sharma makes the spaceships unimaginably fun, which is something we have not seen before.

Vikrant Massey is one of the more underrated actors of Bollywood with the role of Prahastha. He executes with prudence and standard that is stirring. He is in top appearance as the withdrawn, disciplined demon charged with this forbidding chore. The moderation is not tackled, but one built by his body of work. Equally talented, Shweta Tripathi buzzes in with hope and brings out the hidden side of the lead’s nature. The actress aces wonderfully when it comes to showing the disagreement and struggles of her role. Nandu Madhav, their boss, stays confined within a television screen throughout the film; his conversations with both protagonists drive the film’s plot. His indistinct comments, examination, and sight of ordinariness bring great help; together, they make this sci-fi genuinely worth it.

All in all, “Cargo” is an original and unique vision of the creator’s fascinating and introspective journey explaining the human/demon relation linking cultural mythology, with entertaining bits of humor sprinkled throughout and backed by the cast’s excellent performances. It’s not your regular sci-fi fantasy; it’s distinctive in its own way, which will engage you throughout. It stays with you after it finishes, and is something that shouldn’t be missed.

“Cargo” is available on Netflix starting September 9. Click below to watch the teaser trailer for the film.