The Great Indian Butterfly

The great Indian 'art-film' is a mystery, pretty much like the Great Indian Butterfly that the protagonists of Sarthak Dasgupta's film are searching for. It's pretty much indefinable, and more often than not, you are not quite sure or convinced of its purpose or existence. The Great Indian Butterfly, pretty much fits the bill that way. It has its share of pitfalls- the obscurity sometimes feels more convenient than evocative, the metaphors often clichéd and done to death, the tone too self-conscious, and the conclusion not quite satisfying.
Still, despite that, Sarthak Dasgupta's feature manages to shine and show genuine spark, going into the ugly, raw territory of love and life where few filmmakers here dare to tread. The Great Indian Butterfly may not quite be a Revolutionary Road, but it manages to be a compelling watch, and derives much of its emotional power from its two lead actors. Sandhya Mridul and Aamir Bashir steer the film through with relatable, engaging performances, and successfully project the modern Indian urban couple in search of the elusive 'insect' called happiness. They bring alive the suffocation, exhaustion and insecurities of Krish and Meera who earn good money, but can't enjoy it, and truly- this could be anyone's story. Sandhya Mridul, stripped of the vain trappings of regular Bollywood heroines is particularly remarkable, even if the role is a bit on the 'been-there-done-that' side for the talented actress.
The cinematography by Shankar Raman deserves special mention for capturing Goa in natural tones and highlighting its serene beauty that contrasts wonderfully with the characters' inner turmoil.
Like the sought after Ghost Orchid in Charlie Kaufman's Adaptation, The Great Indian Butterfly is perhaps 'wonderful to imagine and easy to fall in love with' but ultimately 'a little fantastic and fleeting and out of reach'. But it requires grit and courage to still try and find it, and for that, Sarthak Dasgupta's attempt needs to be applauded. I recommend that you make time for this little film that otherwise will probably go ignored. To borrow from Vikram Seth, the filmmaker might not have been able to grasp the whole, but I suspect some shard in this story of two lives may touch your soul.
Krish and Meera, form a young Indian couple climbing the ladder of the corporate rate race in a nation hurtling forward at a rate unprecedented in its long history. Stressed, frustrated and unable to come to terms with the sacrifice required for success, they go in search of a legendary magical insect - The Great Indian Butterfly.
Last seen by the unknown Portuguese explorer Carodiguez, in a remote valley located in erstwhile colonial Goa, the butterfly possesses a magical aura, granting immense happiness to the person who catches it. In the journey that takes the couple from the smog filled, concrete jungle of the Megalopolis of Mumbai through the little discovered coastal landscapes of the western Sahyadris, to the sun soaked land of Goa, the couple lose more than what they want to rediscover. It becomes a passage, which seems to travel with a metaphor of its own and an insect as elusive as a fossil trapped in prehistoric resin.
Will they find the Butterfly? Can they survive the journey? Can it cost them their lives? Will 'The Great Indian Butterfly' wreck havoc on their souls? Will there be redemption? Or is it a futile hunt for an answer to their crumbling lives? Is happiness a rare insect?
A simple tale in the complex miasma of a changing India.