October brings back memories of ‘October’

The sight of shiuli flowers covered with dew on the grass signals the arrival of autumn and Durga Puja. Every October, this seasonal mood also brings back memories of the 2018 Hindi film October, directed by Shoojit Sircar.

The film was not a major box-office success, nor did it create much buzz when it was released. Yet every October, Bengali audiences become nostalgic about it, with scenes and dialogues from the film appearing across social media.

Starring Varun Dhawan and debutant Banita Sandhu, October is a quiet story about Shoili and Dan, two hotel interns. Shoili suffers a serious injury after falling from the third floor and is admitted to hospital. Dan learns that her last words before the accident were, “Dan, where are you?”

The words deeply affect Dan, who begins visiting the hospital every day while Shoili remains unconscious in intensive care. Their unusual bond slowly becomes the heart of the film.

The movie has little dialogue, almost no songs or dance sequences, and focuses more on emotions than conventional storytelling. In many ways, it feels more like a Bengali film than a typical Hindi production, perhaps because director Shoojit Sircar, cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay and music director Shantanu Moitra are all Bengali.

The film gained a different kind of popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many people recalled loved ones in hospitals and connected with its story.

Some films fail to make a big impact when released but become more meaningful with time. October is one such film, telling a quiet story of nature, love and emotion.

There is only one ironic detail: the film October was released in April, when the fragrance of shiuli flowers was nowhere to be found.

-AJM