Hidden Battles of a Fragile Mind(2024)
Vishal and Aadi are in a relationship where things are not very smooth. Vishal is a photographer who is happy and proud of his identity as a gay man. In contrast, Aadi works in a regular IT farm where people are mostly straight and make fun of him behind his back which makes Aadi feel uncomfortable and ashamed. Due to the hidden battles in his mind, he loses his control over a situation one day which leads to a fight between Vishal and Aadi over Vishal not keeping the house clean enough, the mess in his head adds up to the mess in the room and he insults Vishal to which Vishal reacts in anger and he tells Aadi that they are unhappy because of the negativity he has in his mind. He makes him face the reality that he was ashamed of himself that the mirror he was looking into was dirtied by society and he is ashamed of owning his own identity and their relationship.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 11 July 2024
- Language
- Hindi
Storyline
Vishal is openly gay and proud, while his partner Aadi feels ashamed working in a straight IT office. A messy room leads to a fight where Aadi insults Vishal. Vishal angrily tells Aadi their unhappiness comes from Aadi's own shame about his identity, which society has made him feel.
“Love fights shame in a messy room.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Trivia
- The film was shot entirely on location in Mumbai, using natural lighting to reflect the raw emotions of the characters.
- Director Debjani Bhadra held workshops with LGBTQ+ community members to shape the script's authentic dialogue.
- The movie's budget was under 1 crore rupees, making it a low-budget independent production.
- It premiered at a small film festival in Pune before getting a limited theatrical release in 2024.
- The set for Vishal and Aadi's apartment was designed to feel cluttered, mirroring the mental state of the characters.
- Some scenes were improvised by the actors to capture spontaneous moments of tension and vulnerability.
- The film's original title was 'The Mirror', referencing a key line of dialogue about self-reflection.