Ship of Theseus

Have been more than 5 months since I saw the film. But it surely got to be a film which will stay with me forever. A film dealing with a philosophical paradox doesn't sound exciting but this film totally surprised me. The paradox of the Ship of Theseus is an underlying layer of the film which has 3 stories. The characters in the film deal with things that challenge their beliefs and in unexpected ways. The beauty is in the treatment which is effortlessly unpredictable without ever being manipulative or calculated. You feel tremendous empathy for the characters which seems to come for the filmmakers deep understanding of the human psychology and behavior unlike most films/narratives where the author/ filmmaker try to 'design' a character for the purpose of eliciting emotions. Here its all so natural that there seems no design and that is the best part about the performances. They are real as well as really intriguing. I found the character of monk played by Neeraj Kabi to be specially intriguing. His is an amazingly natural performance and yet larger than life in some ways. Sohum Shah was a revelation. For once I thought that he may have been casted in the film for being the producer but when you see the film, he was just brilliant. His performance is one which is so subdued that it took me sometime to realize how good he is. Aida who plays the photographer also delivers a delightful performance. I guess her role was the most difficult as she plays a character which one cannot normally find references in real life or even fiction and despite that she delivers such a natural performance.

What is most surprising about the film is its technical finesse. Cinematography is the best you'll see, the film is a visual treat. It took me sometime to realise that the film is set in Bombay not because its a Bombay which you rarely ever see in Bollywood films. It was later that I got to know that the film was shot on a Canon DSLR and I couldn't believe it. Sound design and mixing is also top notch something which is rare for low budget productions(In Indian context even for big budget films). The background score is absolutely mesmerising and only comes when needed. Particular mention should be made of the Naham Janami song which plays in the background during the monk story. I really believe that this film deserves a big screen experience and that is why am so happy that it is finally releasing in India otherwise most would have either not seen it or would have to see it on small screens which does not do justice to this film.

I can go and on about the film but at this point will end at this note that do not miss this film if you get an opportunity to see it. You'll thank me for this!

Ship of Theseus is a movie which we need but didn't really deserve right now. A lot of things have already been said about it, so with the risk of sounding repetitive, however I'll try not to be so, here are some of my thoughts: 1. To begin with, Anand Gandhi has made an utterly brilliant movie. The honesty, genuineness, and intent of the director is clear from the word go which is a sheer pleasure to see in an Indian filmmaker.

2. Three stories - totally different to each others in terms of mood and narration, yet so well transitioned that you don't even notice it. Two thumbs up for the screenplay and editing.

3. Utterly brilliant cinematography, a visual delight which mesmerizes you and grips you with every scene and its details that is on the screen. After I exited the theater, I couldn't believe I watched an Indian movie looking so beautiful. In fact, I can go on and on about the imagery. Well done! 4. Superb dialogues (and the use of no dialogues) - At times, zen, and other times, so passionate that you feel like talking to your alter ego, just like, the conversations in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Even the humorous and satirical parts don't make you feel like they are used as punches, except a couple times maybe.

5. Acting - Top notch by the all three protagonists. Relatively good performance by the other actors as well. But the three main actors are so good you long to see more of them. And the sympathies and your connections with them find their peaks in the penultimate scene.

6. Only thing where I felt I had issue is that some scenes and conversations were finished in a hurry. While one talk about something so powerful in detail, it should be a complete conversation, whereas, at times, it appears a lot of important things were skipped (esp. in story #2). Though I didn't find too many things wrong with the conversations in story 2 and narrations in story 2 and 3, it looked to me that something was amiss, they could have talked a little more, and so on. The movie could have been even more powerful, given the premise and ideas it began with. Actually, the idea is itself so big and extensive that any less would feel like incomplete. Such as, writing about this movie in 140 characters. But I guess I shouldn't complain as it's a movie where it's very difficult to have such kind of narration as well as a speech as long as that of John Galt. Anyways, I am more than glad that such things were talked about in a movie made in India.

Bravo, Anand Gandhi and the team! I stood and clapped for you all when the movie ended in the theater.

Review #2.

Ship of Theseus is a very different cinematic experience. It moves you, it makes you think about life in a different way. The characters, the narrative don't ever leave you. Anand Gandhi is definitely a talent to look out for.

There are three different stories. Each with a different plot but same destination. The first one brings you in life of a girl who had lost her eyesight due to cornea and does photography. The second one is about a monk who should have an organ transplant. And the third one is about a stockbroker who just had a kidney transplant.

The stories instantaneously connect with you. It's hard to decide which one of the three is the best. I would say the three altogether make one of the finest movies ever made in India. And it would not be wrong to say that it is the best Indian movie of the year.

The performances are very real. Specially Neeraj Sir. The direction and cinematography are exceptional.

At last, I would like to say that It is not a usual Indian movie. Go with your brains and you'll experience something you've never experienced before.

"Whether the ship would remain the same if it were entirely replaced, piece by piece. What would happen if their original planks were gathered up after they were replaced, and used to build a second ship. Which ship, if either, is the Ship of Theseus'."

Ship of Theseus starts by stating the Theseus' paradox and then moves on, leaving the viewers struggling to find the answer of this paradox. SOT is based upon three stories which raises questions on Existence, Identity, Humanity and Karma.

The first story is about a girl named Aaliya Kamal (Aida El-Kashef) who took photography after she lost her eyesight to a cornea infection and when she is asked "Do you feel limited?", she replies "Uhh.. No. Why is it so amazing not to have limits and doubts?". This is the part where each and every frame of the film looks stunning and exceptionally beautiful. There is no story in this part but it's about the perception of beauty, how black and white can be the most colorful combination and how a person loses her comfort when she gets her vision back. Aida plays with her eyes and did a great job with her part. Watch out for her body movements when she hears distinct voices during her photo sessions. Pankaj Kumar (director of photography) does an excellent job and his part gives real definition to the movie's aesthetic value. The sequence where Aaliya starts seeing her photographs when she gets her vision back is another highlight of the movie. Ah!!! Those photographs were just mind blowing.

The second story shows an ailing monk, Maitreya (Neeraj Kabi) who is suffering from Liver Cirrhosis and is fighting against pharmaceutical companies which performs cruelty against animals for the sake of experiments. It's the part where questions are raised about Karma, Religions and Beliefs. The moment where Chakrava (Vinay Shukla) asks the monk, when he is restricting himself to take medications to support his protest, "What about the violence you are committing on yourself by not taking medication?. And how is your choice not different from a suicide bomber who is so convinced about the fundamentalism of his political and religious thoughts?" and so many points that he makes e.g., "what if the caterpillar's karma was to get crushed" sequence and the fungus-making- an-ant-a-zombie-to-reap-benefits-out-of-it-concept defines this part and we, the viewers get puzzled with each and every words what this character says. It apparently questions the monk's beliefs and his karma. This is a part where to some extent dullness appears just before the interval but goes to another level when it ends in the second half.Neeraj Kabi is exceptionally well in his role of a monk. Hats off to him for the workout he did for this role.

The final part takes the whole movie to another level by asking questions on humanity and why the poor always gets crushed by the rich peoples. It's a story of a stockbroker who is the recipient of a kidney, which he later discovers that it was stolen from a labor who has been part of a racket which was led by highly esteemed doctors. It changes his life's perspective and then he goes to help that poor and make things better for him. This part is totally gripping and will be highly likable by many peoples. An exceptional performance by Sohum Shah makes this part even better.

Ship Of Theseus didn't waste any time on character development. It starts from the middle of the characters' life and doesn't tell you about their ending. But it tells you the way their perception gets changed about their life.

At the start I was thinking about the title. But when the film ended I thought that this is the most appropriate title which a movie could ever have. Anand Gandhi provides us a movie of the decade and is certainly going to give Indian Cinema a new definition. He is a talent to watch out for.

I am going with 4.5 stars for Ship Of Theseus. It's not run of the mill kind of movie but if you are a movie fanatic then it's totally your cup of tea. MISS IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!.

P.S:- Twitter was heavily flooded with the praises of Ship Of Theseus, but I was skeptical regarding those.

But now the one tweet which I totally found appropriate for the movie is "After watching the movie, do a blood test. You will find the traces of the film in it".

Well, I'll keep this plain, short and simple. I have no clue why this film is rated so low. In my opinion this film is an exceptional piece of art. The director keeps you hooked on to the movie right from the very start. You might be left wondering what is happening here but as the movie reaches it's conclusion, you will be left mesmerized. Each story has its own moments, its own ideas. Each idea is so subtly and thoughtfully expressed, I was left spell bound.The overall experience watching this movie actually raises thoughts in your mind about the issues discussed so beautifully. I saw this one at a film festival and in my opinion, this was the best film in the fest. 10/10