Review - 'Cobalt Blue' (2021)

Set around the ’90s to early 2000s, “Cobalt Blue” centers around Tanay and Anuja Dixit who hail from a conservative Maharashtrian family settled in Kerala. The siblings both share traits that one would label as ‘unnatural’, at least according to fixed societal norms. Tanay identifies as a homosexual man and Anuja displays tomboyish qualities considered unfeminine in nature. These, in turn, get the scorn of the men in the family.

Finding themselves locked away (sometimes quite literally) by their suffocating conservative upbringing, the siblings experience a coming of age; they simultaneously undergo a sexual awakening when their parents rent out a vacant room upstairs to a ‘handsome but rude’ paying guest. However, this nameless and enigmatic guest’s sudden disappearance later causes a rift between both siblings who up until that point were thick as thieves. It only leads to their rebellious tendencies to grow stronger, much to their parents’ chagrin.

‘Cobalt Blue’ and a Closer Look into the Characters’ Sexuality

“Cobalt Blue” benefits from riveting and poetic dialogues by Writer/Director Sachin Kundalkar, who also penned the novel by the same name. The cinematography by Vincenzo Condorelli is also a treat to the eyes. Since homosexuality is one of the film’s main focuses, there’s considerable representation for both gay and bisexual viewers.

At the same time, the film features plenty of visual motifs that represent the dominating nature of heterosexuality, especially in romance movies of the ’80s to ’90s. “Cobalt Blue” also hones in on the importance of filmmaking in breaking this chain by introducing the audience to LGBTQIA+ themes. This is visible in scenes where one can see posters advertising movies starring heterosexual couples plastered all over a wall Tanay passes by in the first half. As the movie progresses, however, audiences see the same wall adorned with posters of Deepa Mehta’s “Fire” (one of the first mainstream movies in India featuring a lesbian couple).

Scene from “Cobalt Blue.” (Photo: Netflix, 2022).

This Crazy Little Habit Called ‘Love’

“Cobalt Blue” also features a nuanced exploration of love, something depicted as a habit for the privileged few. These include Anuja and Tanay’s grandparents, so betrothed to each other they even choose to die on the same day as each other; so much so that until her dying breath, the siblings’ grandmother believes that her husband is very much still alive.

Conversely, the siblings’ strict father believes love is just a feeling that he can weaponize and hold over a family member as and when they ‘step out of line.’ An example of this unfolds when he literally threatens adultery if his wife refuses to migrate from their hometown to join him in Kerala. The siblings’ mother, being the traditional housewife, obviously gives in to his unfair demands. Fortunately, a differing opinion comes from the open-minded nun; she is a family friend of the Dixits who hasn’t experienced physical love herself. She believes love is but a gift women should enjoy; especially since their every move depends on the dictates of the men in their lives.

When Love and Sexuality Collide

The film also introduces Tanay’s professor, deprived of this ‘habit’ due to the harsh laws against homosexuality in the country; and as a result lives a lonely existence with only clay dolls and statues for company. Finally, for the siblings, love carries a burden. Anuja feels that loves is a burden imposed upon her due to patriarchal practices, while Tanay views love as a crime he needs to keep secret. After all, India and Indian society are still coming to terms with embracing this ‘oddity’ (as Tanay’s professor refers to it) known as homosexuality — all at a tortoise pace.

“Cobalt Blue” also effectively delves into the double standards persisting for young men and women in the country. We see this when the siblings’ parents allow Tanay his choice of profession; however, they are hesitant in accepting Anuja’s dreams of becoming a professional hockey player and instead impose marriage upon her. And whereas this can be viewed as a form of love, it’s tainted by old-fashioned patriarchal and very conservative practices; they pollute the minds of even the most educated individuals.

Scene from “Cobalt Blue.” (Photo: Netflix, 2022).

Contrasting Cobalt Blue with Oranges and Reds

Don’t let the title fool you, as the movie features other hues other than just cobalt blue. That said, cobalt blue prominently features here; both Tanay and the paying guest share an affinity for this particular color. Cobalt blue is present in their clothing, luggage, and other personal belongings. It’s even in the painted footprints left behind by the paying guest on the floor of the room that Tanay later inherits. After, he hardly then ever visits this room due to its gloomy, empty, and lonely atmosphere, which he finds heartbreaking. The color is also in a similar imprint that’s omnipresent on Tanay’s neck. He never wipes it away; it feels like his last remembrance of his brief romantic tryst with the paying guest.

By contrast, Tanay’s family members embrace vibrant oranges and reds. This filmmaking choice reflects their stark dissimilarities, as well as the distant and disjointed nature of their relationship with each other.

Of the Film’s Remarkable Performances

Among the performances, Neelay Mehendale and Prateik Babbar are both equally impressive. Both actors exude a remarkable amount of charm, chemistry, and screen presence; it holds viewers’ attention for most of the movie’s run-time. Geetanjali Kulkarni, Shishir Sharma, Poornima Indrajith, and Anjali Sivaraman all do justice to their roles. However, it’s Neil Bhoopalam as Tanay’s professor who delivers one of the most memorable performances in the movie. Personally, I found the sheer emotion Bhoopalam conveys in every scene tremendously moving.

With a narrative that unravels at its own pace, a storyline that challenges and even strikes down age-old norms, and powerful visuals, “Cobalt Blue” is a winner in my books and, in my opinion, not to be missed.