In Jasmine Kaur Roy’s short film “Raavi” that recently premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival, the titular character, an elderly lady (played convincingly by Sukhjinder Kaur) finds her daily life consumed by monotony due to the lockdown.
The streets are bare, and the street vendor selling his wares outside Raavi’s apartment building only peddles melancholic news. Her only in-person discourse is with the neighborhood dog guarding her doorstep. It’s also Raavi’s first birthday far from her family members who can only make their presence felt via Skype. But ultimately, while rummaging through her cupboard she begins to find hope and respite in an album of old photos and letters addressed to her from a late family member who was a prisoner of war.
The Images in ‘Raavi’ Bring Much-Needed Respite
The beauty of “Raavi” is it can draw parallels between various similar events such as war and the current pandemic. It uses these to showcase that uncertainty is part and parcel of one’s life; but it also makes the case that so is perseverance and life isn’t entirely meaningless. It also conveys the sense of joy that overwhelms all other feelings, such as self pity or tedium, when one finds even a sliver of hope amidst the chaos. This can include clutching an object that brings back fond memories or merely the scent of ink on worn-out paper.
Don’t let the monochrome colour palette in “Raavi” fool you. The film’s colors may signify the stillness of time as well as a life dulled by waiting and grief; however, the themes and overall message will bring much needed respite. It serves as a soothing film to viewers who might have lost someone or even missed out on important, life-altering events during the pandemic, or after the outbreak of other such calamities.
“Raavi” was reviewed as part of our continuing coverage of the New York Indian Film Festival.
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