Review: Ilish (2024)

Today, Indian cinema is largely devoid of simple and wholesome stories with relatable characters. The industry is governed by hyperbolic and escapist storytelling. It is true that this type of cinema has the potential to set the box office on fire. But a distinct section of the audience craves a more detailed depiction of the intricate realities that lie before them. Himjyoti Talukdar is one such filmmaker, dedicated to fulfilling this need through his films. His interest in filmmaking is a celebration of the nitty-gritty of everyday life. His two feature films, Calendar (2014) and Taarikh (2018) have proved his attempts to balance the unprecedented attention given by filmmakers to fanciful themes by diving deep into everyday ordinary matters. He has established himself as someone who effortlessly blends the beauty of middle-class life into the cinematic world. His films reveal the complexities and relationships alongside the uninvited circumstances of life that progressively unfold. His short film Ilish serves as a perfect example of such a work. It reminds us that perfection lies not in grand gestures or dramatic revelations but in the quiet grace of everyday existence. 

Adapted from a short story by Riju Hazarika, Ilish, is a slice-of-life short film that revolves around three characters: a husband, a wife, and a guest. Mr Chowdhury (Dip Jyoti Kakati) is a hard-working office worker. With a family wedding approaching, he plans to give an expensive gift to the bride. One morning, his wife (Aparna Dutta Choudhury) expresses his long-held desire to eat ilish fish, a delicacy they haven't enjoyed in years. Chowdhury, undeterred by the cost, decides to buy an ilish, which his wife then cooks. That evening, as the couple is about to sit down to dinner, Chowdhury receives an unexpected call from an acquaintance (Jyoti Bhuyan) from his village. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Through this short film, Talukdar focuses on the dynamics and the quintessence of Indian culture, where guests have always been revered. He allows the story to unfold with a lighter tone while simultaneously letting a sombre mood prevail. The film does not strive to explore the paranoia and suspicious outlook with which the urban world has encapsulated itself. The foreboding notion of viewing an unknown person with doubtful eyes is absent here. Instead, Ilish gently reminds us of a time when hospitality was paramount, and trust, not suspicion, guided interactions. It shows how we humans behave when we are unsure about certain situations and our decisions.

Ilish is a minimalist film, crafted with a deceptively simple story that ruminates on modern human society and its complexities. Featuring fine performances from its cast, the film, with its inspiringly simple storyline, effortlessly evokes questions about trust, values, and tradition within the framework of an easygoing, feel-good experience. The visuals are deliberately understated, and the soundscape, composed of diegetic sounds, enhances the din and bustle of daily life, eschewing a distracting background score. It’s a film that makes us yearn not only for the food but also for a lifestyle—one of spending the day cooking out of love, and then sharing that food with someone you might not even know. Above all, it is a film about caring and empathy. 

*****