Up until a decade ago, LGBTQ characters in Indian films, especially Bollywood, usually served as comic relief in a manner that would make today's audience cringe. Films like Kapoor And Sons, Aligarh, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Badhaai Do were a refreshing change, with the sensitive way in which they approached their characters. One would think that with the mainstream push of what was once a taboo topic, along with the decriminalization of Article 377, our society would become somewhat sensitized towards a community that has long waited in the wings to find societal acceptance.
Except that the harsh reality is that in believing so is like living in a bubble. Even though we'd like to believe that society at large has become more progressive, the vast majority still cling on to the phobias of the past.
And that's exactly the premise on which Jeff Goldberg's 'Not Out' is built on. All his main characters, save one(Rahul), comfortably reside in the bubble of the Bandra-Juhu corridor, well known for its more progressive outlook. These are characters that can afford to be 'Out', by virtue of their privilege and their immediate protective surroundings. They have the luxury of being unapologetic about who they are, their wants, their desires. Their identities empower them. In coming out, they've earned their freedom.
Not Rahul, however. The lone outsider, who hails from the suburb of Chembur, who also has to deal with the fact that he is answerable not just to a pregnant wife, but to an unseen but largely hostile media and public attention, since Rahul, being a member of the Indian Cricket team, just cannot afford to be 'Out', in what is a very clever word play on the title. After all, he has a 'mainstream' image to cater to. His inner frustration, brilliantly channeled by Ashim Gulati, is given all the more fervour by Parthiva Nag's sometimes playful, mostly voyeuristic camera work, that never fails to capture the most intimate moments in the lives of these characters. As an audience, one does feel that they are eavesdropping on their most private moments and it is largely thanks to Parthiva's brilliant camera work, that the sexual tension mixed with Rahul's hesitation as he does something as innocent as holding Siddhant's(Namit Khanna) hands, is palpable. It's almost like watching a constant dance between desire and subsequent guilt, and that is the cinematographer's biggest merit.
Amongst the cast, Namit is excellent in scenes featuring him dealing with a recent trauma, although I did have some trouble in believing him as a writer, perhaps the film's only weak point. Natasha, as his childhood friend, Sanya, is fun to watch, especially when she is out to sink her claws into another character. It's Kashyap Shangari however, who is the show stealer, every bit convincing, and effortlessly natural as Siddhant's former lover. There is a painfully sweet and aching sentimentality with the way he portrays Aditya, that you cannot help but feel for this one sided lover.
The direction is top-notch. It is to the director's credit that each of his characters are wholly believable, and the film maintains a raw and gritty tone throughout, punctuated by some comic relief at just the right moments with the talented trio of Deepak Mann, Kamil Shaikh and Anil Mishra, the nightly hoodlums, whose banter reflects the grim reality of a nation burdened by unemployment, albeit in a humorous manner. It's a stark contrast to the main protagonists of the film. Here, Anil Mishra is a revelation to watch, and may even remind you of Vijay Sethupati's National Award winning performance in Super Deluxe. In the hands of a lesser director however, the film could have just digressed with their subplot, but Mr. Goldberg maintains a tight grip throughout on the narrative and tone, easily navigating through the non linear structure of the screenplay, for which, he doubles up as the writer as well.
Watch out for some really cool directing flourishes. Be it the director's usage of a flickering tube-light during what was one of most uncomfortable, harrowing sequences to watch. Or an extended sequence down a flight of stairs that really puts you, the audience, in the character's traumatic frame of mind. My favorite one however, was the one featuring a series of shots of different party-goers, staring directly into the camera, ably capturing what I could only interpret as a snapshot of a community that has long kept themselves hidden, but amongst themselves, nothing can stop them from being who they want to be. It's pastiche at its finest, and I can only assume that the director is a fan of Jean-Luc Godard. It's sequences like these that elevate the film beyond the usual tropes associated with films belonging to this genre.
Not Out could very well be the work of an auteur in the making.
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