The Last Color 2019

In the city of Varanasi, India, a nine-year-old tightrope walker and flower seller named Chhoti dreams of saving 300 rupees to attend school. She faces daily struggles for survival with her best friend Chintu. Chhoti befriends Noor, Neena Gupta, a widow dressed in white who is prohibited from taking part in any festivities, especially Holi, the Indian festival of colors. Chhoti tries to arrange a meeting between Rudrani Chhetri as Anarkali, a trans woman who is brutally harmed by the local police officer Aslam Shekh named Raja, and Noor. Raja uses threats and coercion to keep them in submission, a power dynamic shaped by fear and corruption. Over time, the friendship between Chhoti and Noor deepens and begins to break down rigid caste barriers, yet Noor and Anarkali never get the chance to meet face to face.

Noor pushes the brave little girl to face life with flying high courage, a commitment to education, and dignity. She shares cherished childhood memories of playing with colors, colors that once brought joy and a sense of belonging. Chhoti promises Noor that this Holi she will shower her with colors, a small ceremony of trust and solidarity. But on Holi’s eve, Noor passes away, and a sweep by the corrupt police leads to Chhoti’s imprisonment by Raja, who tries to pin the murder of Anarkali on the witness to the crime. The film leaves us with the pressing question: will Chhoti be able to keep the promise she made to Noor?

Twenty-four years later, Chhoti has grown into an advocate who fights for reform, focusing on the rehabilitation of street children and widows, and she has earned a landmark victory on behalf of trans women. The Last Color becomes a poignant meditation on promises kept and broken, a friendship that transcends social barriers, and the enduring freedom and resilience of the human spirit.