Loev

"Loev," a touching and gentle gay drama, is a very impressive debut from newbie filmmaker Sudanashu Saria. The film takes on an even greater resonance by the mere fact that it is set in India, where homosexuality is still illegal. The movie, evidently shot very much on the down-low, showcases how gay men in contemporary Indian society seem totally at ease with their sexuality. The story that unfolds focuses intently on their relationships.

It all starts with Sahil (Dhruv Ganesh), a young music producer, attempting to pack his rucksack for his upcoming weekend trip away. But he is struggling in the dark, as his boyfriend Alex (Siddharth Menon) has neglected to pay the electricity bill. He has also left the gas stove on, which is another reason for the couple to bicker, but by the tone of their argument it appears that they really don't need much of an excuse to start quarreling. By the time Alex drops him at the airport they are barely talking, and Sahil refuses to give him a farewell kiss.

Sahil is at the airport to meet his old friend Jai (Shiv Pandit) who is now a hotshot on Wall Street. Jai has flown back to Mumbai for 48 hours to close a big deal. Before he has to attend that meeting, Sahil whisks his friend off to the lush Indian countryside for some fresh air and exercise and so that they can catch up with each other. Jai questions Sahil about the state of his volatile relationship with Alex, but he never even mentions his own home life in the U.S. Their closeness seems to hint that they may have had another type of relationship in the past, but as everything is unspoken and hinted at, we are never quite sure.

It is hard to tear the workaholic Jai away from his laptop and cellphone, which causes some friction -- but not as much as when one night he crawls into bed with Sahil. His advances are rejected, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and the rest of their very short trip in the mountains sees a lot of longing looks from Jai at Sahil. Although Sahil allows him to steal a kiss, nothing else happens.

Back in Mumbai, ensconced in their rather luxurious hotel suite, Jai forces his hand. Sahil stays for dinner -- and they are joined by Alex, who is accompanied by some young boy who has been keeping him company for the weekend. The atmosphere during the meal is strained, to say the least, and it is obvious that Sahil's feelings for his boyfriend have sunk to an all time low. Even so, it is nigh on impossible to even guess how the remainder of Jai's stay is going to work out for any one them, and what will actually happen before this night is over.

"Loev" may have a totally different tenor than a European queer movie, but it still strikes a chord with its measured tone and its heartfelt sentiment. It blends the needs and desires of a submerged gay culture that still goes through all the usual dilemmas in its search for happiness and relationships. Saria leaves out several parts of the puzzle in order to ensure that not everything in this story fits neatly into place, which allows us to draw our own conclusions along the way. An added dimension is that "Love" also serves as Saria's own coming out.

Despite the nature of the subject of his movie, Saria had no trouble finding local actors willing to taking on these roles. It was, as one casting agent told him, a rare chance for an Indian movie actor to do more than just dance, as that is all Bollywood usually demands of them. He chose well: Both Pandit (playing Jai) and Ganesh (as Sahil) put in extremely convincing performances. In a sad postscript, young Dhruv Ganesh died of TB soon after "Loev" was completed. The movie is dedicated to his memory.

"Loev" is a delightful first foray into queer Indian cinema. Saria has set an impressive high bar for other filmmakers in his community to aim for. Highly recommended.