Review: Thursday Special (2024)

In Varun Tandon’s short film Thursday Special, there are no sentimental triggers or contrived emotions. It dares to turn away from moments that a lesser film might have exploited with over-the-top dramatic tropes. Rather than forcing our emotions, it seeks to share an understanding, and does so with a firm conviction.

At the heart of this languidly paced tale is a middle-class couple, 27 years into their marriage. Its strength lies in its focus on the quotidian, the mundane, and the familiar, which are, in their quiet way, universal. The characters are neither heroes nor affluent individuals. They are simple members of an ordinary middle-class family. Though flawed, their actions and motives are instantly relatable. 

Thursday Special unfolds as a chamber drama focused primarily on two characters. Shakuntala, the wife, and Ram, the husband. They live in a small Indian town and are very happy. Their demands from life are nothing exorbitant, and they are still in love. Every Thursday, she prepares a special lunch for him, who works in a government office. It is a weekly ritual they both cherish. According to him, his potluck tiffin is popular among his colleagues. But beneath his calm demeanour lies a secret he has kept from Shakuntala for years. As the truth begins to surface, the film’s dramatic tension builds. The couple is now confronted with a revelation that might shatter the seemingly stable foundation of their relationship. The conflict forms the emotional core of this modestly engaging short film.

The lead performances are subtle and strong enough to hold our attention. Anubha Fatehpuri and Ramakant Daayama, playing the two principal characters, draw us into each moment with such finesse that we intuitively begin to feel as if we have walked a mile in their shoes. The filmmaker’s empathy toward them is palpable, and their noiseless anger at certain situations is impeccable. They come across as utterly real, like gifted yet unjaded performers who haven’t had their spontaneity dulled by the clichés of melodramatic expressions. In this performance-driven narrative, we’re placed squarely at the heart of the character’s dilemma. The way the couple speak to one another is so fluid and assured that it never feels like a constructed feat.

During our youth, we fear the uncertainty of our decisions and the intricacies of relationships. We’re afraid of the future, and at times, even of losing those we love. But as we age, our bodies wither and our health begins to decline. Yet with this physical fading comes a firm resolve. It is a kind of divine inner fortitude that allows us to confront life’s deepest pains. It gives us the courage to tackle the inevitability of our fate with grace. Thursday Special captures this with honesty and restraint. This short film is a tender reflection on love and the gentle dignity of growing old. 

Thursday Special has won multiple awards at various film festivals around the world and has been selected at the prestigious film festival for diaspora, the New York Indian Film Festival, held from June 20-22, 2025.