Shadows in the Dark (1999)

Shadows in the Dark (1999) poster

Ill-fated love set against the epic canvas of India's partition into Hindu Indian and Pakistan. Lajma, a beautiful school teacher with greying hair, leaves Pakistan for her childhood home in India. There she discovers that the home is in ruin, her aging aunt is half senile, and her cousin Gautam is bitter and defeated. Flashback to 1947 when India splits in two - a proud old Muslim man, along with his grieving daughter-in-law, take in a couple of impoverished Hindus, Chand and Bhagwati, into their home. Later, Chand's mute sister Lajjo arrives with her young daughter Lajma. Suffering from some unnamed past trauma, Lajjo is eventually sent to an asylum, leaving Lajma with her uncle. Lajma recalls her aborted relationship with the childhood friend and her inability to understand what her lover was going through, as well as her lover's inability to acknowledge a latent bisexuality. But the most difficult memory to deal with is that of her mother, brutalised during the riots.

Director: Pankaj Butalia
Runtime: 104 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Cinematography: Ranjan Palit
Production: JBA Production, Vital Films, National Film Development Corporation of India
Country: France, India
Language: हिन्दी
Original Language: hi

Keywords

bisexual men

More Films by Director: Pankaj Butalia

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shadows in the Dark about?
Ill-fated love set against the epic canvas of India's partition into Hindu Indian and Pakistan. Lajma, a beautiful school teacher with greying hair, leaves Pakistan for her childhood home in India. There she discovers that the home is in ruin, her aging aunt is half senile, and her cousin Gautam is bitter and defeated. Flashback to 1947 when India splits in two - a proud old Muslim man, along with his grieving daughter-in-law, take in a couple of impoverished Hindus, Chand and Bhagwati, into their home. Later, Chand's mute sister Lajjo arrives with her young daughter Lajma. Suffering from some unnamed past trauma, Lajjo is eventually sent to an asylum, leaving Lajma with her uncle. Lajma recalls her aborted relationship with the childhood friend and her inability to understand what her lover was going through, as well as her lover's inability to acknowledge a latent bisexuality. But the most difficult memory to deal with is that of her mother, brutalised during the riots.
Who directed Shadows in the Dark?
Shadows in the Dark was directed by Pankaj Butalia.
Who stars in Shadows in the Dark?
Shadows in the Dark stars Subrat Dutta, Kitu Gidwani, Mandakini Goswami, Naseeruddin Shah, Loveleen Tandan.
How long is Shadows in the Dark?
Shadows in the Dark has a runtime of 1h 44m (104 minutes).
Where was Shadows in the Dark produced?
Shadows in the Dark was produced in France, India.