Shoojit Sircar’s “October” develops a special human dynamic between two sensitive souls. Interestingly, this bond seems to never exist as “love” in the first place.
They hardly meet, but Shiuli (played by Banita Sandhu) wishes to know where Dan (played by Varun Dhawan) is. Their camaraderie comes off to be quite similar to what they share with their colleagues. Such a juncture becomes extremely crucial in the plot as it plays around with a regular cinemagoer’s mind. One is beguiled to expect “something” to spark at some time but that expectation is brushed away. The very idea of daily life comes to the forefront. Before the traces of colloquial affection could be found, Shiuli loses hold of her senses. What intrigues here is that all her friends make regular visits to the hospital, but Dan returns to her just to answer “where is Dan?”. A feeling of discomfort pitches in at drifting away from the inception of a deep emotion.
The concern that Dan and Shiuli now share defies the culture of unrequited love. Dan, as a constant aide to Shiuli’s family in adverse times, evokes an amiable human side which needs no caricature. He wishes to fall in love through actions and not words, fairly unknowingly. Therefore, he feeds his soul with a peculiar notion of responsibility for someone who is numb but has expressed enough.
Shiuli’s condition gives Dan a purpose to live. All he now yearns is her recovery for which he is ready to forsake his material ambitions. The “seizure” that she experiences while he is away, makes him realise what he is actually chasing. Therefore, Sircar places two less known individuals in an affable scheme of emotions. They barely communicate but when they do, they create memories. Those October flowers that Shiuli loves, inject life into her. Dan brings them to her to activate her olfactory faculties. But little is anyone aware that her breath is as ephemeral as the season of the flowers. Now, the plight of her family is halved as Dan gulps the fact of her demise down by embracing her favourite plant. Something that bore a life in its bosom – Shiuli’s life. In other words, he retains a piece of her forever.
Hence, the film captures the visceral shades of sentiments in an effortless manner. With a minimal background score and the right amount of cinematographic effect, “October” stands out as an unconventional celluloid ride. Moreover, the characters of Dan and Shiuli and the supporting cast reflect the common masses to fabricate an uncommonly creative galore. Sircar manages to keep his slightly maverick vision intact by keeping it ‘real’ and aloof from garish melodrama. Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu help embellish his efforts. They give up on a chocolate image and act like ones among the crowd. Lastly, “October” portrays the aesthetics of human relationships in unusual circumstances as courageously as Sircar’s other directorial ventures like “Piku” (2015) and “Vicky Donor” (2012).