Some stories are so embedded in their geography that they become the spine of the narrative. Masaan (2015) and Mukti Bhawan (2016) are two films that are rooted in Varanasi. The socio-cultural elements of the city cannot be separated from the narrative of either film. Yet interestingly, the portrayal of the same city happens to have a contradictory face and guise.
Mukti Bhawan opens with the scary ambiguous dream of Daya (Lalit Behl), an elderly person in his 80s. He is convinced that his days are about to end, and hence shares his adamance about spending his last days in Varanasi. The purpose of Daya’s visit is to breathe his last on the holy banks of the Ganga and attain salvation. He is accompanied by his dutiful son, Rajiv (Adil Hussain), who is overwhelmed by work. The film, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani, portrays a father-son relationship that mends with time.
Masaan, Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial debut, is a poignant ode to the loss of loved ones. In its hyper-linked narrative, Masaan switches between the lives of two unrelated central characters, Devi (Richa Chadha), and Deepak (Vicky Kaushal), residing in Varanasi. Both of them are victims of grief. Beyond the resemblance in setting and emotion, there is a contradiction in the depiction of Varanasi in both films, which reveals much about socio-economic disparities.