My Melbourne deals with important social issues with the standout segment belonging to Kabir Khan and Puneet Gulati. It’s the most crowd-pleasing one in a good way talking about race and how the medium of sports can break cultural barriers

• Starcast: Ryanna Sky Lawson, Jake Ryan, Arushi Sharma, Jackson Gallagher, Arka Das, Setara Amiri and others
• Directors: Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan etc
• Writers: Nazifa Amir, Shivangi Bhowmick, Samira Cox etc
• Cinematography: Brad Francis
• Music: Anurag Sharma and Brad Francis
• Producer: Mitu Bhowmick Lange
• Production Company: Mind Blowing Entertainment
• Running time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

The trend of anthologies has provided an interesting alternative to mainstream cinema. This is primarily due to two reasons, one there is no pressure of box office as a result you can experiment more, and secondly big stars aren’t needed for an anthology movie. Much before the 2013 Bombay Talkies you had the 2010 anthology I Am, a collection of four short movies directed by Onir. The anthology I Am dealt with plots ranging from child abuse, gay rights, the inner turmoil of a Kashmiri pandit who returns back to her native state after a huge gap of 20 years etc. Since then, numerous anthologies have come from both Hindi and the southern industry.

I am directed by Onir

The plotlines of My Melbourne anthology are based on four real life incidents covering the themes of race, gender, sexuality and disability. A common aspect binding the four together are its theme of finding hope in the most unlikely of places and how there’s always a ladder called faith.

1. Nandini

My Melbourne kick starts with Nandini directed by Onir and William Duan. The story focuses on an emotional reunion involving a father and son. Indraneel (Arka Das) is living with his boyfriend Chris (Jackson Gallagher). Out of the blue the estranged father Mihar (Mouli Ganguly) comes to Melbourne. The reason being a ritual for late Indraneel’s mother. The plot focuses on the unspoken emotions between the father and son along with the theme of acceptance. Director Onir brings his trademark understatedness to this sensitive tale. The struggles faced by the queer community in terms of family acceptance has been brought out in a subtle yet highly effective manner. More than the dialogues the affective building of tension makes it an engaging watch. The romance between Arka Das and Jackson Gallagher is also subtly depicted through affectionate gestures. The eventual reconciliation between the father and son will make the viewers emotional.

2. Jules

The second story Jules has been co-directed by Imtiaz Ali and Arif Ali. This segment revolves around a newlywed Indian Woman Sakshi (Arushi Sharma). Sakshi has many dreams, but her confidence is very low. This is majorly due to the fear of a new place along with an oppressive husband who treats her as a piece of furniture. She uses social media as a shield to cover up her insecurities. However, in true Imtiaz Ali fashion Sakshi’s life undergoes a huge change when her path crosses with that of Jules (Kat Stewart). Jules is a 52-year-old homeless woman with a foul tongue and a strong survival instinct. In this story Imtiaz Ali and Arif Ali have covered the theme of patriarchy. Jules suffers somewhat due to a slightly sketchy writing. The dynamics between Sakshi and Jules could have done with more exploration still the segment has its moments due to the message and also the wonderful acting performances. Arushi Sharma does a very fine job in portraying both Sakshi’s vulnerabilities and also her eventual transformation. Kat Stewart looks every inch the character particularly her body language.

Kate Stewart as Jules

3. Emma

Emma directed by Rima Das and Samira Cox deals with the theme of disability. Featuring an all-Australian star cast the segment features Ryanna Lawson as Emma. Emma is a talented deaf dancer in her early 20’s. The main theme of Emma is how she overcomes both self-doubt and a certain discrimination from her own community. An important part of her journey is Nathan (Nathan Borg) Nathan is a successful deaf dancer; through him Emma finds the strength to pursue her dreams. A major strength of Emma is how Rima Das and Samira Cox have explored the topic of Usha syndrome. Usha syndrome is a combination of both hearing and vision loss. Ryanna Lawson playing Emma delivers a solid act perfectly capturing the characters internal conflict.

4. Setara

The last one Setara directed by Kabir Khan and Puneet Gulati is the most mainstream among the four stories in a good way. Kabir Khan brings his trademark underdog story troupes with great affect as already witnessed in 83 and Chandu Champion. The director’s political knowledge also comes in very handy. This segment deals with the issue of race. Setara Amiri plays a fifteen-year-old girl. She has relocated to Melbourne fleeing from the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Along with the mother and an elder sister Setara is trying to rebuild her life. A strong aspect of Setara is how the two directors have explored the issues faced by the refugees and how sports can play a key role in overcoming adversities and also break cultural barriers. The later aspect comes out in an impactful manner in the way Setara plays for the Australian school team. Another noteworthy thing about this segment is how the story plays around with the common notions attached to Muslim women wearing hijab. Setara is somebody who stays true to her cultural identity but that doesn’t come in the way of her playing cricket through which she makes her own distinctive mark. Setari Amiri’s portrayal of a confident schoolgirl is a treat to watch.

Setara directed by Kabir Khan

Final word: My Melbourne makes for a wonderful viewing particularly for fans of intimate stories