Sukhpreet Kahlon
New Delhi, 10 Jun 2022 17:01 IST
The Gujarati-language short by Nemil Shah is a touching story about gender identity.
In a small village in Kutch, amid the arid landscape, the Gujarati-language short Dal Bhat begins with a group of schoolchildren talking excitedly about a crater recently filled with water. Mukti wishes to join them but hesitates because of his father’s strict instruction not to do so.
Mukti, however, yearns to join the boys for a swim and even asks his friend how it feels to be in the water. He does not understand his father’s restriction upon him. Goaded by his friends, he goes for a dip, which leads to an unexpected discovery, an innocent desire becoming his undoing.
A sensitive exploration of gender and identity, Nemil Shah’s short film portrays the anxiety about gender norms in a small community. As Mukti and his father are ostracized, we realize the bewilderment and pain of the LGBTQ community, whose members are picked and cast aside the way Mukti picks through his rice, separating the grains that stand out.
The sleepy village and its idle pursuits are brought to life through the schoolboys and the music, with the strains of traditional instruments morchang (Jew’s harp) and jodia pawa enlivening it. The performances of the boys are praiseworthy, especially those of Mukti and his friend. Sanjay Mishra plays a tiny yet effective role of a man who offers sound advice and lends perspective to the confused children.
Dal Bhat is a stark reminder that bias and discrimination are not inborn, they are cultivated. It also leaves us savouring the joy we feel in embracing ourselves.
Dal Bhat was screened at the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival 2022.
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