Places I've Called My Own(2024)
Hindi28 mins
After several years in the US, Tara, in the midst of her MAP process, returns to India for the funeral of her father. There, she finds a mother in denial about her sexual orientation, an ex-girlfriend who has rebuilt her life with a man, and the shadow of the paterfamilias that continues to hang over the home.
Director:Sushma Khadepaun
Mood:
emotionaldarkuplifting
Where to watch:
OTT availability not confirmed yet. Check Netflix · Prime Video · Hotstar · ZEE5
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 2 September 2024
- Director
- Sushma Khadepaun
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 28m
Storyline
Tara returns to India from the U.S. for her father's funeral. She faces her mother, who refuses to accept that Tara is gay. She also reconnects with an old girlfriend who has since moved on with a man.
“Coming home means facing who you left behind.”
Film Details
28Minutes
HindiLanguage
Release Date2 September 2024
Parental Guide
Violence
Low
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Low
Vibe & Tags
Mood
emotionaldarkuplifting
Themes
identityfamilylovesurvival
Toneserious
Pacingslow-burn
Complexityrequires-attention
Audiencearthouse
Best Withalone
Violence1
Emotion5
Humor1
Rewatchability3
Cast & Crew
#1
A
Aditi VasudevTara
→#2
A
Amardeep JhaNaina
→#3
B
Bhumika DubeAnya
→#4
A
Alana Mejía GonzálezCrew
→#5
S
Sushma KhadepaunDirector
→#6
D
Damien MegherbiCrew
→Trivia
- The film's title is inspired by a line from a poem by the Indian-American poet Agha Shahid Ali.
- Director Sushma Khadepaun shot key scenes in her own ancestral home in Rajasthan to capture authentic atmosphere.
- The lead actress spent a month observing therapy sessions to prepare for her role as a character undergoing the MAP process.
- A real, unpublished family diary was used as a prop for the father's journal seen in the film.
- The movie's soundtrack features a rare, old recording of a Rajasthani folk song by a late local singer.
- It was partially funded through a grant from an Indian arts foundation supporting LGBTQ+ narratives.
- Several scenes were improvised during the funeral sequence to reflect the cast's real emotional responses.