HeadleyLamarr Meenakshi Iyer (Konkona Sen Sharma) sets out on a bus journey to Calcutta with her one year old boy, Santhanam. Her parents ask a fellow bus passenger, a slight acquaintance by the name of Raja (Rahul Bose), to help her along the way. The bus is like a minute microcosm of India with all the various types you can imagine, there are the singing youngsters, the slow boy and his mother, the disapproving old maid, the card playing men, the Muslims, Sikhs, Jews. The journey of the bus is rudely interrupted when the occupants are stopped and told of a communal riot in the neighborhood where a Hindu was killed and now the Hindus are out for Muslim blood. Meenakshi finds out that Raja is actually Jehangir Choudhary and a Muslim. A series of traumatic events follow and when asked she introduces the couple as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. The "Iyers" have to sojourn in a small town while there is a curfew on and find shelter in an almost abandoned rest house. There is a palpable attraction that grows between them and a level of comfort too, but eventually in a very Wong Kar Wai fashion, Mrs. Iyer is handed over to the real Mr. Iyer at Calcutta station.The film is no doubt a statement on all the communal violence that has become part of our country's history, but is also an ode to humanity and to man helping man. There is an uplifting message and the sense that out of darkness light can emerge. Aparna Sen is a master at her craft and the film is excellent in story, direction, cinematography, acting. But what I commend most is the way she has captured the lead pair. Rahul Bose never looked so endearing and heart-stoppingly good, and Ms. Sen Sharma is imbued with a lush and sultry beauty throughout. Add this to the fact that they do the finest job with their roles and you have a beautiful film. Rahul plays the secular, unfailingly polite, intelligent Muslim man very well, and Konkona never misses a beat with her Southie English accent! There is a conflict at a whole another level that makes this an intriguing film - the lead pair are obviously made for each other and very attracted to each other (maybe in a sort of Stockholm syndrome way, as they are fellow sufferers), and you feel their pain at the parting, and weep inside just a tiny bit for them, but then life gets back on track again and what cannot be is forgotten.The music is divine and this film is a certain keeper.

soumitra_d This is a must see for all who crave for meaningful, deep yet subtle cinema, and it flows like a dream and goes past you leaving you with the slight tinge of pain at the end. The beautifully simple cinematography blends perfectly with the brilliant background score and the mood of the film.At a personal level, I rediscovered my inner yearnings and passions from the character of Rahul Bose, Mr. Raja Choudhury, whose eyes were telling from the beginning of the subtle, sweet relationship between him and "Mrs. Iyer" of the impending breakup. The poet residing in the heart of the wild life photographer comes out when he started talking about "their" honeymoon and love trips in Waynad, Chidambaram ... which had never taken place, or would never take place. Although Konkona played her role wonderfully and fully deserves the accolades she got, Rahul showed such understated restrain in his acting that one can easily identify oneself with him. I liked the movie for its romanticism and complex interplay of human emotions. It deserves a perfect 10.

s-kapoor The story starts of in the setting of an ultra conservative Hindu mother with child and a Muslim photographer who happen to have mutual acquaintances from which emerges a passing commitment of the photographer to ensure that the mother and child arrived at their destination safely.The bus ride takes place in environs which are struck by Hindu-Muslim riots, but the riots are only external manifestations of the prejudices that the young Tamil Brahmin woman has grown up with. Aparna Sen is masterful in her craftsmanship where it is hard to tell what is external and what internal.The movie is just as easily about the simple, insidious impulsion of being attracted to someone, slowly overpowering the prejudices that might have repelled them. Delicate mastery of the director in the restrained and therefore far more profound attraction between the two characters.Other comments have called Aparana Sen as one of India's finest women directors...If this film is to be adduced as evidence, she is simply one of India's finest directors!!!

staralam This is among the best of movies Indian cinema has produced. The plot/ storyline is powerful which is augmented by splendid performance by lead actors. It also exhibits the communal undercurrents going on in Indian society. It was a bold step to address these issues. Another aspect is the soft feelings produced among the lead actor and actress. As a contrast from the prevalent trend in Indian cinema wherein there is the notion of "love at first sight" in almost all movies, in this movie the feelings of love evolves from simple caring to a very strong one. It also exhibits the true picture of oriental society where common people just don't go on singing love songs or fighting antagonists of their love life. My best wishes to the whole crew of the movie.