Here is a genre of parallel cinema, as they call it in India, which leaves you absolutely spellbound. This movie was created at a time, when the so-called "commercial", popular version of Hindi cinema indulged in pure air-headed fantasy as far as Catholics in general and Goans in particular were concerned. I wouldn't say it was without flaws, and it was a perfectly objective masterpiece. But the attempt on the part of the author of the story and the director (Shyam Benegal in an unusual twin role) was there to portray reality, rather than deliberately shut all eyes to reality, to make something enjoyable. The acting was average, and no one particularly stood out. The slow pace and the original lighting associated with this movie were absolutely justified given the context in which the tale is told.
Review of Trikal (Past, Present, Future)
