Bombay Talkies 2013

Ajeeb Dastaan Hain Yeh: Avinash, Saqib Saleem, a young man, bursts into his house, waking his father and declaring that he is homosexual. Heartbroken and unsettled, he leaves his parents’ home to seek a fresh start. As he walks, he passes a girl at a train station who sings the iconic tune “Ajeeb Dastan Hain Ye,” a moment that underscores the film’s mood of strange luck and fate. Gayatri, Rani Mukerji, is married to Dev, Randeep Hooda, a man who works for a magazine and soon crosses paths with Avinash when he becomes the new intern. Avinash bluntly shares that he is gay, and to his surprise, Gayatri isn’t shocked by the admission. What follows is a gradual and intimate connection between Avinash and Dev, united by a shared love of old Hindi cinema and classic songs. On Avinash’s birthday, Gayatri invites him to dinner, and the evening becomes a turning point as she informs Dev of Avinash’s sexual orientation. Dev’s initial shock hints at a deeper conflict inside him, even as the dinner table quietly becomes a space where their affections, and tensions, begin to surface. The trio’s dynamic deepens as they discover a common passion for cinema, prompting moments of closeness that blur the boundaries between friendship, desire, and secrecy. When Gayatri leaves for work the next day, Avinash returns to Dev’s orbit, presenting a CD and inviting him to come out. They go to meet a young girl who sings the same familiar tune, a moment that heightens Dev’s disbelief and shock. Avinash’s insistence on truth becomes a moral test, and he even pays the girl to feed her siblings, pressing her to reveal the truth of her own life while reminding her that lying is bad. Dev’s reactions grow increasingly complicated, revealing the strain of unspoken truths that shadows both their lives. As Avinash becomes certain that Dev may be gay yet reluctant to acknowledge it, the film builds toward a tense confrontation. Gayatri returns with news that she and Dev had “amazing” sex the previous night, a line that stings Avinash and exposes the fragile balance of their relationships. He confronts Dev at work, confessing that he traveled the long distance just to see him, a confession that leaves Dev embarrassed and angry. An attempted embrace turns awkward, and Dev’s mounting anger erupts into violence. Avinash retreats, but the emotional storm isn’t over. Dev later seeks Avinash out to apologize, and the tension escalates: he kisses Avinash, then strikes him again, and finally throws him out. Avinash tells Gayatri that her husband kissed him, which only escalates the conflict and leads Gayatri to declare that the problem lies with Dev and that their marriage is finished. In the film’s final image, Avinash sits on his bed, bereft, while Dev stands beside the girl who sang earlier, Gayatri has left and is preparing herself anew, and the girl asks Dev for money—an empty claim met with Dev’s calm denial that he has any. The girl’s accusation that he is lying resonates with the film’s motifs about truth and illusion, culminating in the stark irony: the life he built, including his marriage, was built on a lie.

Star: A failed actor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, struggles to make a living after his father’s passing. He longs for opportunities to come to him rather than chasing them, hoping that every job will finally find its way home. On his way to a night-watchman interview, he is drawn to a filming set where a scene must be performed, and he is chosen to play a role. As the scene unfolds, his father’s spirit visits, deriding him for not remaining true to his chosen craft. The encounter proves transformative; inspired by the paternal rebuke, he delivers a flawless shot and, despite the moment’s triumph, walks away from payment with a new sense of purpose. The story tracks a man who learns to hold fast to his art, even when the world around him doubts him, and discovers a deeper conviction about what it means to be a true actor.

Sheila Ki Jawaani: A 12-year-old boy from a struggling family is struck by the mesmerizing dance of a film star and resolves to break free from the expectations that bind him. After watching Katrina Kaif perform the dance number “Sheela Ki Jawaani” onscreen, he decides to pursue dancing as his dream, even though his father wants him to become a football player. When his parents are away, he dons feminine attire, applies makeup, and embraces his performance with exuberant stamp of independence. His father returns and rebukes him, but the dream persists. The family faces a tight budget, and their sister’s request for funds to go on a trip prompts a communal effort: brothers and sisters pool their money and stage a small, improvised show at an old garage, where the boy dances with unrestrained joy—an act that embodies the film’s celebration of pursuing one’s heart against societal norms.

Murabba: Vijay, Vineet Kumar Singh, travels from a small town in Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai on his dying father’s last wish: to meet the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan. With little money, he camps outside the star’s residence, enduring days of hunger and frustration as he hopes for a chance to meet him. Finally, luck smiles on him, and he gets the opportunity to speak with Mr. Bachchan, even sharing a simple moment over a murabba (pickle). The dream feels within reach as Vijay returns home with a story that his father can hear and treasure. The journey continues as he narrates the experience to fellow passengers on the train, only to have a jealous traveler spill the preserved murabba that Bachchan had eaten. Heartbroken but undeterred, Vijay buys a new jar and recreates the murabba to demonstrate that the dream has been realized. He arrives home with the jar and the hope that his father’s life might be saved through this symbolic gesture. The plan culminates in a quiet, emotional revelation: the act of meeting Bachchan and sharing the half-murabba comes to symbolize fulfillment and renewal for a family that has faced hardship. It’s a moving meditation on perseverance, longing, and the small, powerful acts that carry people through difficult times.