Ship of Theseus

Once in a while comes a film like this one, which along with shaking your core, also manages to make you grateful for being a humble part of the audience. 'Ship of Theseus' is one such rare film.

It's a film of meditative pauses and life as many of us have felt and lived. It reaches out to the heart as well as the mind. Not the kind of film you see very often.

This is an incredibly ambitious film, a film that demands that its viewers remain present and thoughtful at all times. Anand Gandhi offers a magical, mystical voyage. At times, viewers might feel, well, all at sea, wondering where Gandhi is taking them, but the director ties his stories together in a way that is surprising and satisfying. Ship of Theseus is one of those rare things: an elegant film that demands that its audience be engaged at every moment.

Ship of Theseus will never join the 100 crore-club. It was not made with that intention. But it has a right to stand on its own. I know there is an audience out there hungry for good new cinema. Ship of Theseus is the film they have been waiting for.

SOT is a film that challenges your existing beliefs about everything – religion, the food you eat, the water you drink, your relationship with parents, friends, it subconsciously lets loose a series of stream of thoughts that run through your mind. Anand Gandhi scores in making each of these characters seem real. Nothing seems rehearsed, scripted or gimmicky.

Ship Of Theseus, no doubt, an intellectual exercise, the sort festival films often indulge in. Yet, the narrative is lucid, and the stories are simple and deeply moving.

Anand Gandhi's Ship Of Theseus is a bold and challenging film, which presents to you an indulgent story with engaging characters using the art of symbolism. Spread out on the grand vision of experimental cinema, this is a film that will grow on you. Watch it if you have the appetite for Indie cinema. This is perhaps one of recent times' most eloquent films that have come out of India!

Ship Of Theseus' great victory is that it got made at all. It is content that you've seldom experienced on a big screen. Celebrity backing, studio support, and a proper release gives hope to the next generation of storytellers who want to express themselves and reach the world.

Gandhi's ruminative subject, catering to art-house cinema lovers (has won critical acclaim in international film festivals), is deeply layered and beautifully intricate. He doesn't compromise artistic depth for commerce, even for a moment, though the story-telling is not without flaws. The pace is exhaustingly slow and scenes monotonously long. This idea could be compressed into smaller 'lifeboats' and still sail safe. The monk's deeply profound story stands out.

Anand Gandhi's film should be strictly watched for three reasons: a) If you like challenging your intellect b) If you love art cinema c) If you want your eyes to absorb Pankaj Kumar's spellbinding visuals.

The audience for Ship of Theseus must enter the auditorium with a different set of criteria than what decides if a Bollywood film is a hit or miss. You're expected to keep in mind that style can trump credibility, that this is director Anand Gandhi's first film, and the focus is upon the intriguing idea that inspired it rather than the set of events that make up the plot of Ship of Theseus.

A rare film from the Bombay film industry: no cheating. No cop out. No contrived truths. Anand Gandhi's vision made me forget that I was watching a film. Through astounding technique and painstaking detailing, he managed to draw me into his vision of life without me being aware of it.

Ship of Theseus is a sign of evolution in filmmaking, a work of art. I cannot award such artistry with mere stars. I can only hope it's a precedent not an exception and wish you go and watch it.