The film features a unique "story within a story" narrative structure. It follows Abhiroop (played by Rituparno Ghosh), a transgender filmmaker from Delhi, who travels to Kolkata to shoot a documentary about Chapal Bhaduri. Bhaduri was a legendary real-life actor of Jatra (Bengali folk theatre) famous for performing female roles at a time when women were not allowed on stage.
The movie is lauded for not stereotyping its characters and for its sensitive handling of same-sex relationships and gender identity, showing the vulnerabilities of both the LGBTQ+ characters and the bisexual cinematographer, Basudeb. Why the Film Matters
The film premiered at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival and received widespread acclaim for its courage and artistic merit. It won the I-FEST Award for Best Film at the Palermo International Queer Film Festival and remains a staple in film studies regarding gender and sexuality in South Asian cinema. A Note on Legal Viewing