Antareen (1993)

The very first thing that blew me away was Dimple Kapadia's introduction scene. I love how she didn't utter a word, she didn't even move, and yet managed to establish her character and immediately make you feel drawn towards her. I wanted to know this woman- I wanted to know what exactly happened to her that a phone call where she doesn't even utter a word can end up rattling her so much. 

Objectively and subjectively, there can be no doubt whatsoever that Mrinal Sen's Antareen is a poetic masterpiece. It might seem slow-paced, but honestly, every moment is so relevant, and infused with so much depth (both from the acting performances and the story itself), that you never feel like you're about to doze off. Every expression, every gesture, it all helped us see more depth into the character than even dialogues would have allowed. Plus, everything felt so relevant and relatable, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. I loved how Anjan Dutt was more concerned with his caffeine intake than with human interaction, because that is one of my personality traits too, and it feels good to see such wild parts of yourself represented in beautiful works of art. Another scene that stuck with me was Dimple getting impulsively drenched in the rain- I have been known to do this even before the pandemic, and now, especially in this heatwave and situation of being stuck inside all day, all I want is to be drenched in rain and dance for a little while. 

Dimple Kapadia was such a revelation for me in this movie. I think I have only seen two movies of hers before this, that too when I was very young, so this was kind of my (re)introduction to her craft. And I am stunned- the way she was strong one moment, then completely insane, then flirtatious, then burdened down with the weight of a disastrous marriage- it was all stunning. I really don't have the words to describe the effect her performance had on me, but I really can't stop thinking about her, one whole day after completing the movie, that's how good she was. I am so glad one of my dear friends recommended this so highly to me, because it really is the kind of movie that you can't stop gushing over and one that stays with you for a long time. 

Another thing I want to appreciate is the background scoring for this film, which really elevates the music, and makes you feel all the feels. And of course, Anjan Dutt's wholesome bonding with the young boy who comes to work for him. It was so warm to see them grow fond of each other. The ending though... as much as it is an iconic train station scene (my absolute favourite genre), it broke my heart so much I don't know how I'll ever recover. Dimple's smile... Anjan's innocence... they will haunt me. I don't know what else to even say apart from this.

In conclusion, people who haven't seen this are missing out, especially on endless close-ups of Dimple Kapadia's impossibly beautiful face and hair. 

PS- I haven't seen any, but I don't think any "qUaRaNtiNe" movie these days can match up to this OG quarantine movie. I said what I said. 

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