As the first gorgeous black-and-white scenes unfolded, I thought I had stumbled into a documentary.

We are in the slums of Ahmedabad and we spend 24 hours with a Muslim family. The mostly static camera frames a beautiful portrait of a simple life. Mother Raziya (Samina Shaikh) cleans, cooks, and is in constant movement. Father Razzak (Imtiyaz Shaikh) sits and schemes to improve their prospects. Son Faiz (Fahim Shaikh) has more freedom than daughter Ruba (Yushra Shaikh).

Shahrukhkhan Chavada, in his debut feature, allows us to watch family, gender, and religious dynamics, play out without judgement. The first hint that it’s not a documentary comes with a scene where Ruba wants to buy a soft drink. The careful framing was just too perfect for the narrative, but it’s a subtle wrinkle. It doesn’t take away from the feeling of verisimilitude.

The cast are non-actors, and this adds to the feel that we are getting a unique glimpse into a life very different from our own. There are some exquisite shots; the aerial view where we see the girls playing make-believe on one side, and the boys chasing chickens on the other, bisected by a diagonal path of adults walking. It is brief, but beautiful and meaningful.

The slow pace won’t be for everyone, but it’s worth the 100 minutes. And the title is the game the children are playing “Which colour?”

Director: Shahrukhkhan Chavada
Origin: India (2023)
Language: Gujarati, Hindi with English subtitles
Genre: Drama

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