Don't Look for Childhood Sweethearts

Raincoat, an Indian film directed by Rituparno Ghosh, starring Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgn is a sad story about childhood sweethearts that never graduated to husband and wife.

Two things I found in a vintage store recently, made me revisit this movie: an original hard cover copy of A Suitable Boy, written by Vikram Seth and old furniture.

This novel initiated me into Indian movies, but is is not about movies per se, but a miniature or life in India. However, that might not be correct because that country is massive, the second country with more human souls after China, the most populous country in the world.

The old furniture in the store reminded me of a scene in Raincoat. In fact, the furniture is the story. Manu and Neeru grew up together. I can’t say they were in love because Manu did most of the emotional suffering. Why suffering?  Because he loved Neeru deeply, in a non-Hollywood way, that cannot be encapsulated in the commercial ‘I love you.’

Parents knew it, but that did not stop them from accepting an arranged marriage for Neeru with a man from out of town who seemed to be wealthy.

Years later, Manu takes a short trip to the city to raise some money. His mother warns him not to try and find Neeru. Friends he stays with when he gets there warn him not to try and reconnect with Neeru.

He does. It’s raining. His wife’s friend gives him a raincoat and her cellphone. Neeru lives in a gloomy house with old furniture. Curtains are always drawn. He doesn’t say much, just stares at her with the same pain from yesterday.

Neeru does not notice. She is too busy narrating her wonderful life with her wonderful husband and the furniture. The movies ends with the raincoat winning the duel against the furniture. The suitable boy Neeru’s parents found for her, is not suitable after all.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.