Sukhpreet Kahlon
New Delhi, 02 Apr 2021 21:00 IST
The film won the Riyad Wadia award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker at the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival.
A heart-warming slice-of-life narrative, Arun Fulara’s debut short film Sunday is an exploration of desire, sexuality and the loneliness of a middle-aged man.
The film tracks the protagonist Kamble (Shrikant Yadav) as he visits the local barber shop as part of his routine on a Sunday. What seems like a predictable, mundane day is actually a highly anticipated one and infuses him with delight as he has a crush on one of the barbers in the shop.
Fulara creates a most unexpected ambience for Kamble’s reverie and herein lies the novelty of the film. An everyday activity is laden with anticipation and becomes the nodal point for the protagonist, a big gulp of fresh air that will sustain him as he leads a heteronormative life. The surreptitious glances, the anticipation and thrill of a touch, all enable his imagination to be the recourse in his lonely life.
There are endearing moments when Kamble wishes for an uninterrupted view of the object of his affection. Any disturbance in the gaze causes annoyance as he just wishes to watch the affable young man.
The deft editing by Kaivalya Swati Chandrashekhar allows each moment to resonate with meaning. Kamble gazing towards the water, the walk back home in slow motion and the contemplation of a different look, all gesture towards him savouring the lingering memories of the meeting.
The intimacy and tenderness that Kamble yearns for is foregrounded through the close-ups that emphasize touch and a certain warmth that the lad has towards him. Yadav’s commendable performance conveys the depth of emotions of the character while portraying his shyness and hesitation.
The film is written by Fulara as well and it won the Riyad Wadia award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker at the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. Sunday has been screened at various film festivals and is now available for viewing on MovieSaints.
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