Ship of Theseus (2012) User Reviews

The ship of Theseus sails the high seas!!!

[kunal_nm · 9/10 · 25 October 2012]

Anand Gandhi's debut feature film The Ship of Thesues is a rare gem in the indie cinema circle which comes out with more crap in the name of struggle and rebel than anything worthy of watching.I am not even talking of bollywood here.

Watching continuum it was quite clear that the director scores high in mixing simple philosophies of the world with everyday tales.Here he takes a philosophical paradox and extends it to three different tales that connect in the end.

The acting is brilliant,such unknown actors being able to emote so clearly in English and various languages credit goes to the director.The landscapes n locations reflect the inner conflict that the characters are going through.

It is still not in the league of Tarkovsky,Malick maybe due to lack of a strong music background but is somewhere on the steps to that house of talent where even bergmann reached.It works perfectly in the first story of the blind photographer,her inner conflict of recognition vs objectivity in art is very well summarized in some dialogues that remind everyone of a coffee talk that they must have had with their best critics and fake philanderers.Even the philosophy of the title matches perfectly with the first story.

The middle story about a monk has the strongest acting seen for a long time in Indian Cinema.The shloka by rohit sharma in jain language explains all the philosophies of the monk so clearly n cleverly.His voice, argument as well as staunch beliefs are so strongly acted out and written. The comic break from the lawyer works well in giving it a break like light n shades. What doesn't work is the monks acceptance of life against the miseries of death, though it shows that the monk is free of religious beliefs in formulating his own thoughts, there is no such strong moment of cinematic epiphany that convinces the audience of a switch over. I meant a subtle one not a overly dramatic one.And also is the failure of the philosophy of the ship of Theseus. We don't think he changes or his views change due to his liver change.in fact its his mind that changes when one of his body part threatens to dismantle the whole(that his body) on which functions his unique mind.

The last story works more as a comic n funny satire on genes working against their predetermined course in India.A stock market broker as being an artistic Granny's only left grandson is funny and so is his logic for living as he wants to.But when challenged his compassion extends from mumbai to its slums to the beautiful locales of Sweden as if almost like an ode to bergmann n tarkovksy.There is also a top shot of grass blowing in the wind as if taken from a Andrei Tarkovsky film but lacks the magical music along with it.It is also illogical that the theory of ship works in this one..it doesn't.The middle n last one have in fact changes of mind due to change in body part is hard to bite.Almost like 21 grams had a heart replacement surgery making the recipient fall in love with the donors wife.

And what the film lacks is the emotional epiphanies.Though the eerie end where the different body parts of a dead person come to see his creative cognition, is by far the best fitting end ever to such a conflicting theory of body vs mind. It gave me shivers that the persons body was still alive and its mind dead and yet the new recipients could feel what the mind tried to explore in the cave. The cave almost being a metaphor for understanding the universe by the humble mind which accepts answers to easily then pose big questions.

Indias first sci-fi cum philosophy cum drama and really one of the best best Indies to ever come out.I am sure the director wouldn't cry about the struggle in finding finance rather he would ask the strugglers to search for talent within themselves.

Sheer Poetry gives Indian Cinema a new definition..

[amanand838 · 9/10 · 19 July 2013]

"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".

An experience not to be missed.

[ritisamuel · 17 May 2013]

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!

A visual expression of Theseus' Paradox...Just Simply Amazing!!!

[NitroJ7 · 10/10 · 24 November 2012]

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

Very deep. Watch it with an open mind.

[moviestics · 10/10 · 18 January 2014]

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.

A Thought provoking genius

[jayeshb-746-40126 · 10/10 · 24 July 2013]

I went for the movie with nil expectations though i was aware of the genre. But it impressed me beyond excellence at the end. The movie presents three stories seemingly different from one another but the way the different threads of the stories get intertwined at the end into one beautiful fabric is an absolute pleasure to the senses. As per me I perceived there were multiple layers to the story each layer contributing as an example in some way to the ship of theseus paradox. The way in which it subtly presents the fact that if something changes in us, we do not remain the same person from thereon. This change may be a change in the way we perceive the world, or a change in our belief system , or a change in our attitude towards other people. The next layer of the story is what amazed me most , which consists of bringing the three stories together to show how a human being is not just flesh and bones but comprises of ideas, emotions, beliefs etc. What makes each one of us different is our thought process, our ideas, our choices and many other things. A very simple example to state such theory could be a case of twins who share the same progeny, the some womb, the same features but end up completely different. I guess i have already said a lot, if your brain has a good appetite for thought this is the movie for you.

Celebrating life in a brilliant way

[abhinandan-dutta · 8/10 · 22 July 2013]

Well,after waiting for a long time I went for the first show and the film shocked me.The film marks a new era in Indian independent movie making.Gandhi used three inter inter related stories to find some eternal questions of mankind like life and death,salvation,purpose of life,creation,beauty etc.All these questions came up through a blind photographer,a rigid monk and a stock broker.Brilliant cinematography and music set the right flow for the movie to reach its conclusion.I can tell you that after you will come out of the theater,the movie will make u think and will ask you for the answers of the questions it raised.Till then we can wait for some more good works from the director...my rating 8/10

Get soaked......

[arupmandal1983 · 8/10 · 21 July 2013]

If one has got his/her basics in the right place, whatever is churned out (even if art) automatically scores good while transition from good to great is left to the creativity and imagination involved."Ship of Theseus" does exactly so and not only gets the basics right but also excels in each of them.With mind-blowing cinematography (How cud that be a DSLR?!!!!!), super-crisp editing,superb screenplay,superlative acting (Neeraj Kabi & Sohum Seth take a bow!!!!),music (that song in the monk story was simply amazing) and even comic reliefs there's not much room left for complaints. Now, coming to the gray area of creativity or whatever you call it, "Ship of Theseus" also scores (high enough) but may be not as seamless as its basics (off course IMO).The biggest positive that it has is not being either emotionally or intellectually manipulative.Its a treat to watch a film which is straight enough, with not much hidden in layers and yet so very subtle.Its left for the viewers to perceive once the film ends and continue the journey within.With so many chances that the director could have taken to succumb to push emotional epiphany he never compromises,not even in last reel.And once you know that the same man was involved behind "Kyunki Saas Bhi..." you understand what transformation/compromise(?) means as depicted in the film itself.To talk about drawbacks I found the film lacking in its background score.Not that the realtime sounds as in docu-feature style or absence of constant music is a problem.But more than often it doesn't do justice to the exemplary visuals or images that we see on screen.Those lash green grasses,the centipede movement,the array of photographs,the monk in white walking in rain or through huge sewage lines on both sides with black water flowing below-all of these scenes demanded some musical piece behind.The piece that would bind the film together.Also,of the three stories rather storeys only the first justifies the title while the other two are deeper and close.Yes,though it meets all regular and expected requirements, "Ship of Theseus" could have had a few more exciting requirements to its name.You can't complain,you can only wish and also wish more films like this gets a theatrical release and get the required backing (Thanks Kiran Rao).I am not sure whether this will be a life-changing film for all as selected by the Critics Circle,UK But as inspite of Neeraj Kabi,Aida El-Kashef,Vinay shukla,Sohum Seth and almost everyone else giving of Mr.Mehta (don't know the actor's name) that will stay with me for all as did the father in "A Separation", "Ship Of Theseus" also has every chance to stay with you for long.

Gem of a Cinema

[sandhirflora · 9/10 · 21 July 2013]

Anand Gandhi's SHIP OF THESEUS is in one sentence an amazing story, amazingly shot. One rarely came across a film where narrative is powerful but the visuals add a whole new subtext, a new dimension to the overall experience. Without being too arty, intellectual or surreal, it is an original piece of cinema, where there are moments when you wish your characters to stay silent and they get into arguments and when you expect them to say the things, they stay silent yet speak a lot. It is a classic example of a wonderful use of the language of cinema. It engages your mind provided you have not left it at your home to watch a mindless entertainer. It is intense, sensitive thus overall a rare gem of cinema. Overall Good.

Intriguing and Thought-Provoking Piece of Independent Indian Cinema!

[akash_sebastian · 7/10 · 25 July 2013]

Anand Gandhi's first feature-length film is an intriguing and thought-provoking piece of Independent cinema; it deals with life, purpose and philosophy. Gandhi's prior experience with short films helps him direct the three disparate story lines with certain finesse; the stories shed some light on Theseus's Paradox and give a transcendent look at consequences arising from individual actions.

In Greek Legend, according to Plutarch, Theseus's ship was preserved, and the decayed parts were replaced piece by piece until no part of the original ship remained. Plutarch asks whether you would call it the same ship or not. The paradox might seem too confusing to discuss, but Anand Gandhi just uses this to connect the three plots through the theme of organ donation, questioning identity in the face of change. Rather than making a statement, Gandhi just raises interest and discusses various important philosophies and issues; having compelling arguments for and against the topics, it helps us being a part of the discussion.

The characters are likable and interesting. All the actors have done a commendable job, and Neeraj Kabi's brilliant performance as the Jain monk stands out. As the three stories go, the first one (with the blind Egyptian photographer) deals with behaviour to change, the second one (with the animal-rights supporting Jain monk) might seem more philosophically and intellectually orgasmic, but it's the third one (with a stock broker seeking justice for a kidney scam victim) which oozes with brutal honesty. The use of humour to lighten the serious tone of the movie is delightful.

The cinematography is spectacular. Rarely have I seen such breathtaking visuals in an Independent film; the shots have a certain poetic and aesthetic charm. The blend of far-off shots and sudden close-ups gives us an intimate look at the characters' lives.

The movie is really good, but far from perfection. 2 hours 20 minutes is too long for the movie; with better editing, it could have maintained the pace and momentum well. And as most movies with multiple story lines suffer from this, the characters lack enough depth and screen-time for us to invest ourselves in them. The first story, though the idea of a blind photographer is a bit far-fetched, suffers from an abrupt ending. The second story has many interesting viewpoints and arguments, but part of them seem off-the-book and pretentious; it suffers from an illogical ending too. The third story, though quite honest and absorbing, is quite messy and detours from the main theme of the movie.

From writing screenplay and dialogues for cheesy soap operas to an intellectual independent feature film, Anand Gandhi has come a long way; I guess his experience as a playwright and short-film director must have come in handy.

Sheer delight to watch. A world cinema masterpiece, almost!

[dreamworkers · 9/10 · 23 July 2013]

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.

fantastic cinematography, interesting but unempathatic characters, ultimately not thought provoking and whimsical

[dipakporia · 6/10 · 26 July 2013]

this has a little more depth than the usual bollywood fair but lets not get carried away. It is very different to the normal bollywood films in that there is no song and dance number, eye-candy or explosions however in some ways it is just as clichéd - slow, documentary style, amazing cinematography, slow, arty/pretentious, pseudo-intellectual, uneventful and did I mention ssslllloooooowwwwwww. In typical art-house style, no real story as such, more about the interesting characters and great cinematography.

Some amazing cinematography though - makes you realise just how beautiful and abused India is - I loved the scene where the monk is walking on a bridge over a disgusting river, flanked by 2 huge sewage pipes and a goat has climbed on top of one of these pipes, grazing on some sewage shrubbery.

The characters (a hard bitter talented blind(!) photographer, the proud hypocritical pseudo-intellectual monk, the passionless amoral misunderstood money maker who sees the error of his ways) are interesting although ultimately they are one dimensional and didn't evoke much empathy in me.

Having said that, I would say it is still worth watching if only for a break from the monotony of Hollywood/bollywoood/tollywood and for the popcorn.

Same premise has been more interestingly made in films before.

[arunsrid · 4/10 · 12 August 2013]

After reading news reports that this movie will create a revolution of sorts in independent cinema and stuff like that, I went to see it last night. The premise of focussing on the lives of 3 people (who have/will be) obtaining a person's different organs through transplant - is very similar to Seven Pounds, and in fact Seven Pounds was way better in what it presented to the audience. This film is trying to question if the recipient of an organ transplant inherits any characteristics from the donor, but leaves it to the audience to frame their own spiritual, religious, emotional conclusions - which maybe new to people who grew up on Shah Rukh Khan films, but not to other broad-minded and rationally thinking individuals.

Even though some of the dialogues in the 2nd story of the saint were pretty captivating, I never understood its relevance to the ship of theseus ? In fact most of the thoughts worded in this film can be found in any spirituality/karma related texts or books written by swami vivekananda or in fact the bhagavad gita itself.

As I said earlier, people who have been spoon-fed with mindless action and romance films may find this film different, but honestly the matured audience can opt for some better films to see.

Organ transplants are a more interesting topic than I ever imagined. Some dark side effects give much food for thought

[JvH48 · 8/10 · 27 January 2013]

Transplantation of body parts seems very useful, and cannot be thought away anymore from our current way of life. However, there are dark sides around it that we never see or even want to consider that they exist. Three stories, or rather parables, take us on a journey through these dark sides. This film was part of the Rotterdam film festival 2013.

The first story about a blind (!) photographer is the least sombre of the three. Though being blind (we don't hear whether she is born that way, or acquired blindness later) she proves to be very talented in her profession, producing very original images in a way that no one else can imitate. Despite her handicap she lives a full life, is happily married, and is very able to find her way outside while making photographs. We see interesting in-house discussions with her husband about the photo's she decides to dismiss, based solely on her intuition, and about her reluctance to keep copies anyway for possible use later. We see the process of being cured from her blindness from a transplant operation. Alas, it does not improve her professional skills, however strange that may seem. In the end we see her overwhelmed by the multitude of images on the street, something that we are used to and are able to cope with easily. But unlike her past method of operation where she could easily find the crucial elements of a situation, and make that the core of her photos, she is now unable to choose, and practically seems to have lost her professional capabilities. This is where her story ends.

The second story involves animal testing, as something that cannot be avoided to advance medical science. The main character decides to not have his liver transplanted, though everyone in his environment pressures him to drop his objections. We see arguments pro and con, partly in the format of court proceedings, and partly in the form of images from animal testing. But our main character's condition worsens, until he eventually gives in and decides to be operated anyway. We don't see how it works out, because the second story ends here.

The third story is the most complex one, also providing the most material to ponder about aforementioned dark side effects. A man who himself has been given a donor kidney, visits his mother in hospital, and learns by accident about someone who was taken his kidney away while having an appendix operation. It happened in a shady hospital, apparently making money from covert operations like this. He delves deeper in the matter, and eventually finds the recipient of the kidney in Sweden. The latter is not aware of the sinister ways he received his transplant, and only heard that the donor was paid very well and consented with the transfer. A stalemate situation is reached, since the organ cannot be given back to the rightful owner. It serves no useful purpose to condense the rest of the story here, but it triggers many thoughts about this transplant "industry", initially created to help people in need but also yielding side effects we don't want to know.

All in all, I was reasonably satisfied having seen this film. It lets you think about issues that you rather want to reason away. My only problem with the film were the switches from story to story, which were not clearly delineated. Suddenly you see other characters appear on screen, different from the story at hand, and that is the only clue you get that a new story is about to start. The opening lines about the Theseus ship is a nice stepping stone to think about the parts our body is made of, and whether exchanging some of the parts make you a different person.

Visually Brilliant, Philosophically Unparalleled

[baliga-amit · 10/10 · 20 July 2013]

Ship of Theseus: The Paradox Simplified, NO SPOILERS

Hardly would you ever come across any work of art, pure artistic magic, which would make Einstein, Gandhi and Leonardo da Vinci proud. Or Nolan, Cameron and Tarantino equally satisfied. In one instant of time. This is THAT ONE unique work of art. A solitaire grade elixir class beauty. In the league of true Hollywood art movies. Inspired by millennium old philosophies (second story) and exemplified by tens of millions of years old behavior (poster). All about the transitivity of identity. Anand Gandhi has created The Shawshank Redemption for Indian Cinema. This movie is the 'grandfather' of Life of Pi in photography and video- shooting, whatever technical terms they use for it, WITHOUT VFX (special effects). The visuals are never-before shot uniques: so brilliant, so majestic, so engaging, that every single minute comes a scene you would wish to 'printscreen' and use it as a wallpaper for your computer! Excellent interplay of light and shadow. Truly metaphysical in every sense. This is the single most important aspect of the movie even if you keep the philosophical side aside.

FACTS FIRST: The movie neither has a ship nor any Greek King named Theseus and Kiran Rao is just the distributor, not the producer and has no role in the making of the movie. Theseus was the founder-king of Athens, Greece. Having slayed Minotaur, the half-man half-bull monster, got out of the much-hyped impossible Labyrinth (the famed ball-of-thread story) and overcome several obstacles, he returned from Crete to Athens to a heroic welcome. It is said that his ship was kept in the Athenian harbor as a memorial for several centuries. However, the Athenians replaced the decaying old planks of the ship with new and stronger timber as they had honored to send the ship to Delos, every year, to honor Apollo and needed the ship to be seaworthy. This started the philosophical debate whether it should be considered the SAME ship or not. Essentially, as per Greek philosopher Plutarch, the question boils down to: whether an object which has had all its components replaced, one at a time, remains fundamentally the same object or not. And if all the replaced components made another object, being replaced one by one, does the second object claim to be the original object or not. The movie tries to answer this paradox. Amazingly well. And surprisingly without using maths !

Now, apart from the literal meaning, the paradox-puzzle is showcased in the form of 3 short stories. Just as three points are necessary to form a triangle or prove collinearity (or not), these 3 stories are the three vertices, pillars and fulcrums of this movie which tries to simplify the philosophy. Whether the stories are interconnected, merge at any point or three mutually exclusive but exhaustive events is to be decided by you!

The first story is about a blind photographer (just imagine), her enthusiasm in clicking the right 'sounding' pics, her frustration of others not being able to 'see' her point and how her passion & technology helps her overcome her 'hurdle'. The second is about a Gandhi-type monk, whose philosophy ensures he always sticks to righteousness, including believing in karma and the 'what-you-do-is- what-you-get-funda' and fighting cosmetic companies' barbaric drug testing on animals. And the third is of a casual money-minded youth, who, triggered by a couple of events, tries to change the wrongdoings but realizes how intricate morality is.

ESSENCE: Is the physical aspect of everything essential or the mental aspect? Is the doer important or the intention of the one who does? What if the doer changes retaining the same intention or the doer remains same and intention changes? Is the 'who' and 'what' crucial or the 'how' and 'why'? It details about the passion of your life, the celebration of being alive, overcoming handicaps, the duality of life (remember the wave and particle nature of light theory you used to hate in class 11th), the thin line between philosophy & religion, relativity, doing what you strongly believe is correct no matter what the world does to you, the meta-gyaan that every molecule in this universe is affected by every single act of yours, 'we are made of starstuff' type, how far will you go to make things correct again, the immortality of the soul and the fickleness of the body and most importantly, destiny, where we make it or it makes us. It's a mini-Bhagavad Gita at times. And what change (perhaps, for your own good) may force you to abandon your life-long ethics or confuse you into believing your earlier life was better or make you feel: I tried a lot but couldn't get the result, did I fail? If somebody is destined to die, should his life be equally hellish or his life be peaceful though he is to butchered anyways? The movie sparks such questions and tries to make you answer them too. CAST: Aida El-Kashef, Sohum Shah, Neeraj Kabi, Vinay Shukla. New actors whom I didn't know of. But yes, the chubby girl is quite pretty too  POSTER Explanation: A fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, infects select types of ants, changes their smell sense, the ants fall from the trees where it lives, climbs plants, gets stuck up there and dies. Meanwhile, our smart fungus consumes its tissues, keeps exoskeleton (outside body) intact, then grows outside it and releases its spores to infect millions others. Happening since millions of years on earth !!! Proving outside 'things' alter the behavior of hosts for their own benefit, eventually killing the host. Similar to viruses. So when an ant is infected and behaves in such a manner, how can a human escape with millions of microbes in him? When and where do you say my body ends and environment begins? Are all not interconnected, one and the same? Brilliant questions and answers!!!

An Allusion to Life through Theseus' paradox.

[Tanay_LKO · 9/10 · 19 July 2013]

I got the opportunity of watching "Ship Of Theseus" at a special screening at the Jagran Film Festival in Lucknow. To be very honest, I've seen almost close to a thousand films so far and I could swear that this film stands out in every sense of film making and viewing. Accompanied by my mother, I was sitting in this multiplex theater hoping for something worth absorbing by the novice mind of mine as I was rather worried that I may not grasp much of this already world acclaimed film that has been called a "gem" and a "masterpiece" by the honourable names of the cinema community.

Nevertheless as the film began the "Theseus' paradox" was highlighted in plain language on the screen, which as mentioned in Wikipedia, "... raises the question of whether an object which has had all its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object." Though, I already did a bit of reading on the film's title I couldn't help but feel all excited by this idea which somewhat illuminated the simultaneous existence of universal allusion about "replaceability" and "irreplaceability" during the course of the film.

The film was divided into 3 segments about 3 characters who in turn eventually highlight the aforementioned concept while dealing with their own personal dilemmas regarding being the recipients of organ donation, which in turn brings their indisposed lives to normal but changes them and their perceptions forever. The first two had been portrayed by Aida El-Kashef (an Egyptian film maker/actress) and Neeraj Kabi (with whom I had the pleasure of shaking hands). I must mention quite frankly this has been one of the finest films ever made in a long time, in India and abroad.

The producers – Sohum Shah(who was also a cast in the 3rd segment), Mukesh Shah, Amita Shah – please take a bow, in a series of many. A more incredible work had been done by the writer-director of the film – Anand Gandhi (earlier been nominated for this year's Best Screenplay at the Asian Film Awards for the same), by making a simple-yet-complex theme come alive in such a grand light on-screen. The most exceptional characteristics of the film have been the cinematography (Pankaj Kumar) and sound design(Hungarian-based Gabor Erdelyi), the former being of the symbolic magnitude of, "The Tree of Life". Last but not the least, the film's editing work - Adesh Prasad, Sanyukta Kaza, Satchit Puranik - had been equally meticulous and give the film a gem-cut look, and a lot more in a narrative flwo.

To summarise, even though being full of one's philosophical and personal predicaments and deeper meanings than presumed (like – "Life of Pi") the film will serve everyone who view it because it will have a subjective meaning for each, no matter how big or small it may seem, and will allow them to appreciate the lives of men and women around and above all, of their own.

Verdict - Must-watch, at every cost!

Rating - 9/10

Ship Of Theseus and Tumbbad- Anand Gandhi raising the Bar of Indian Cinema beyond Hollywood.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 9/10 · 27 October 2020]

Ship Of Theseus (2012) : Brief Review -

Ship Of Theseus and Tumbbad- Anand Gandhi raising the Bar of Indian Cinema beyond Hollywood. Ship Of Theseus is PURE CLASS! INDEED A WORLD CINEMA MASTERPIECE! Fortunately both the films of Anand Gandhi came in watchlist and unfortunately i couldn't watch any of them in Theatre. Well it doesn't matter now because both the films have left huge impact on me and how, undoubtedly highest for any bollywood films in the last decade. I have watched over 800+ Bollywood films from the last decade and here are My Top 2 Best Films of the Decade, first is Tumbbad and 2nd is Ship Of Theseus.. both coming from One Creative Genius Brain Mr. Anand Gandhi. For Tumbbad i said, A lesson not just to Hollywood but also to World Cinema that how to turn a mythological horror film into Human Masterpiece. Anyways Tumbbad was Visually stunning and very cinematic operation but Ship Of Theseus is an Artistic and Realistic Cinema scoring at it's Best. There are no dramatic moments, there's not a single shadow of something called Cinematic Liberty, everything happens so realistically, so artistically, so purely, so simply and so incredibly. Hats off to Anand Gandhi for creating this Gem of Art Cinema with human resources and intellectual thoughts from Indian Lifestyle. Ship of Theseus is a story of everyone because it explores meaning of life, death, money, identity and giving something back to the world in which we live. From cinematography to dialogues this film is like an extraordinary art exhibition. I can't believe someone did have such a vision in Bollywood to shoot a scene on Road in one take with 2 minutes of argument between 2 Highly Intellectual minds talking about Life and Death, and the second scene shot in Mumbai's Slum. Writing, Screenplay, Dialogues, Cinematography and Direction everything is Perfect and by perfect i mean they always say 'Nothing is Perfect, yes but there's always something close to Perfection'. I believe, it will take some years for Indian Cinema to produce something like this. Ship Of Theseus is a MUST WATCH for Classes, a film and an experience not to be missed at any cost. Do yourself a favour and watch this film if you want to see Indian Cinema defeating Hollywood in Realistic Intellectual Cinema. And remember the name Anand Gandhi because i am not gonna forget it anytime soon. A MASTERPIECE OF IT'S OWN KIND!

RATING - 9/10*

Thought-Provoking!

[Amyth47 · 9/10 · 22 October 2018]

My Rating : 9/10

Must-watch for art house film lovers. Some great questions asked here.

Brilliant performances all round. Great, great drama.

New breed of brainstorming Bollywood

[rohnpc · 9/10 · 23 July 2013]

Old concept of ship of Theseus paradox told very beautifully, intricately and in the way 21st century people are supposed understand. There is further generalization of idea. In between many beautiful concepts touched. Mumbai shown as beautiful as ever. Some aspects Jainism very well described. Recent organ scam in India and rise of people who want to bring change. And then there is ultimate connection of how human life and goals which we want to achieve for betterment of us as conscious life-form is concluded very thoughtfully.One of the best made Bollywood movie. No Bollywood exaggeration. Most probable Oscar nomination from India coming year. Guys do watch.👌👌👌

Only if they had changed one letter in the title...

[jiteshiitd · 20 September 2013]

Yes, It was literally shi of Theseus. Yes, I said it. Now if you have not formed your opinion about me being a Salman or Shahrukh fan, and if you are still reading this, well mate, you've got a really open mind.

Now lets get back to this horrible horrible movie. I can write about this movie's flaws longer than the script it had, but still I will try to contain myself in the following points.

1. Many characters seem to be reading their dialogs in a very irritating monotone. Like that photographer's boyfriend, Charvak guy and God save me from the acting of the protagonist of the third story and his translator friend.

2. BS concept. A blind photographer, seriously?!! I guess we are not far from a deaf musician and a retard genius, are we? That saint, whose conviction crumbles in one death scare, that imaginary sect that he followed, didn't seem to have much point in it. Seemed just like self styled god-man, playing activists.

3. And the BIGGEST FLAW....... ONE DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS. Totally one dimensional characters, and I think that is the folly of men, we always think that people poorer than us are that one dimensional, don't we? That was quite lack of insight for a director who wanted to make an art movie.

4. Besides that, I could have stayed home, and spared myself from watching in detail a man soiling his bed and cleaning it, and a bed ridden women pissing in a pot.

Guys forgive me, but life is complex, and the questions of existence and reasons are not easy. We can and should ponder on them everyday and form our own opinions. But I guess it is just easier to stay ignorant forever and just be amazed by these kind of substandard pretentious movies.

Brilliance in concept but faltering at other spots makes if fall short of outstanding cinema

[darshancruz · 6/10 · 22 February 2014]

Being a fan of new concepts, this one is a 10/10. However, there is more to a film than just concept. The movie tells stories of change in 3 people's lives when they become a recipient of something they dint have.

The 1st story introduces you to Aliya, a blind photographer who clicks B & W images with her intuition & camera vocals and the change in her once gifted with sight. The 2nd story is about a monk who fights for pharmaceutical companies ill-treating animals and is put to test on his very principle when he is the subject. The 3rd story where a businessman forgets his job to reveal a kidney- transplant racket when he fears his kidney might have been a source of the same is compelling, yet in vain comparing to what he wanted to achieve in 1st place

The 3 stories just move from one frame to another without any clear distinction. In terms of acting, Aliya is the only character you feel connected with while the other 2 just go about playing their roles. Mumbai looks different in a nice way through the camera's lenses. With 144 minutes of run time, the movie offers boredom at regular intervals and when you wish for a powerful climax, it lets you further down. Gandhi tried to connect the dots but fails to let the viewer understand his ideology in the climax. Overall, being a part of Bollywood brain, it still is worth a watch !

Most thought provoking bollywood movie

[visheshvijay · 10/10 · 27 July 2013]

Ship of Theseus, written and directed by Anand Gandhi, requires patience, an open mind, and a willingness to think. It's not enough to merely sit there in your seat and 'watch' the film, but to listen attentively to its characters and consider their arguments. If you're willing to make that investment, you'll be rewarded with a richly emotional, intellectual, and sensory experience.The film follows three separate stories that raise pertinent questions about identity, death, and morality. In the first, we're introduced to Aliya (Aida El-Kashef), a blind photographer who uses intuition to capture brilliant black-and- white images. A cornea transplant restores her vision, but she fears she may have lost her inspiration. In the second and most affecting story, we meet Maitreya (Neeraj Kabi), a Jain monk and staunch animal-rights activist, who is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and must consider a transplant. On discovering that the medication that could save his life might have been tested on animals, he refuses treatment. The third story is centered on Naveen (Sohum Shah), a stockbroker and the recent recipient of a donated kidney. He becomes obsessed with bringing justice to a poor man he meets, whose kidney was illegally stolen during an appendix surgery.These three strands interconnect satisfyingly in a moving climax, and tie in neatly with the overarching philosophical idea thrown up by the film's title: Does a ship, whose every part has been replaced piece by piece, remain the same ship in the end? Gandhi applies this paradox skillfully to the human body, asking if a person who has had an organ transplant is still the same person he previously was.Giving us a nice lived-in feel of each of their worlds, Gandhi takes us inside the minds of our three protagonists, showing us what they stand for, and how they've changed over the course of the journey they undertake during the film. Each of our protagonists engages in intelligent, thought-provoking arguments, and it's hard not to come away deeply affected by some of the issues raised. The verbal sparring between the monk and a young lawyer-in-training is particularly engaging, and full of insightful gems worth considering.Languidly paced and lushly filmed, Ship of Theseus is just as rich cinematically, and benefits from terrific performances by each of the protagonists, particularly Kabi whose physical transformation as the ailing monk is a sight to behold. Gandhi gives us a fine supporting cast too, that occasionally infuses humor in a film that otherwise stings from its brutal honesty.I'm going with ten ratings for Ship of Theseus. It stimulates the one organ that popular Hindi cinema consistently ignores – the brain! Give it a chance and prepare to be dazzled.

Deep meanings, shallow satisfaction

[buntyonline · 7/10 · 6 May 2014]

It didn't work for me as I thought it would. For the serious watchers and variety seekers, it can be a pass. Only for those who can digest its philosophies. It is not a commercial movie. It had limited release too. I'm sure my psychologist friend would drool over it. I've see a lot of movies. And it's not like I don't watch drama. But this one tested my patience. May be the too much use of English put me off. Would it have killed to talk in Hindi? The Indian people should talk in the regional or the national language. That's my understanding of the Indian linguistic psyche.

It has 3 stories about the changes and realizations a person undergoes. It's raved among critics and heavily praised. But this winner of two National Awards is a drag of 2 and half hours. The director could have wrapped it well under 100 minutes and still had all the substance. The story is a big blend of life and its philosophies. "Them" people and the psychologists can explain it better. Not for one of the light moods.

long. very long. why did I sit this one out?

[djp-omahony · 3/10 · 28 March 2014]

The basic idea (exploring the immorality in some organ transplants) is great; thanks for delivering a movie on this subject. But this movie was about 70% longer than it needed to be. We got to the end of it ....but only just.

I think the cinematography was good and so was the unpretentious acting, but the director was trying too hard to impress. Several scenes could be been dropped and most of the remaining scenes were longer than needed; for example the monks walking through the wind-farm, was that necessary, or if so, why was it so painstakingly long?

To its credit, compared to 99% of the mindless tosh that Bollywood churns out, I would far rather watch this again 10 times over than watch 10 different "regular" Bollywood films...as would my Indian wife!

One of its kind.

[vicarious_tool · 9/10 · 26 July 2013]

This is a rare movie, and maybe the only one of it's kind as far as Indian cinema goes yet uniquely Indian in terms of the facets of life and issues dealt with in the film.

The film uses three different frameworks(short stories) to explore a plethora of contemporary issues and philosophical ideas on one level and doles out brilliant acting and creative cinematography on another. Also the different segments are weaved together seamlessly in the end as a finishing touch.

It 'shows' rather than 'tells', the pace is slow with a large amount of details, enough to draw you in and connect you with the protagonists in the most natural manner possible.

The only single complaint I have is that they could have cut down on the 'still life' like scenes a bit and added a little more sharpness and depth to the discussions especially in the monk's part of the story.

That apart this is a unique work of art and a must watch since even if you don't like it it will still give you something to take back.