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27 Down (U*)

Rewriting the Rules

,Cinema 3
A man and a woman sit on a hill together.

The train is a potent image and over time has become iconographic to the visual lexicon of Indian cinema. 

27 Down follows the story of Sanjay, a young man whose life is irrevocably altered by a train journey from Bombay to Varanasi. As a ticket collector, his monotonous existence takes a turn when he meets Shalini, a compassionate teacher. Their relationship unfolds against the backdrop of the train's rhythmic journey, symbolizing the passage of time and life's transitory nature.  

Beautifully shot in noirish monochrome and with striking production design, 27 Down strives for a semi-documentary feel that is amplified by naturalistic on location shooting at various train stations and compartments.  

A key work in the foundational years of Parallel Cinema, 27 Down draws much of its emotional resonance from the understated interplay between Sanjay and Shalini’s transient but forlorn characters.  

Tagged with: Art & design Cinema Rewriting the Rules: Pioneering Indian Cinema after 1970

India 1974 Dir Awatar Krishna Kaul 108 min Hindi with English subtitles Digital presentation   

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