Independent/parallel Indian cinema’s blood is hot at the moment, and Netflix is the vein through which it flows. Dar Gai writes and directs “Teen Aur Aadha” (Three and a Half), an “if-these-walls-could-talk” type film which includes two of the new guards in India’s independent film surge, Jim Sarbh and Zoya Hussain. The roles that Jim and Zoya have been tackling recently, show that they are not afraid to stray away from the usual cookie cutter norms of the industry.

Cinematographer Aakash Raj angles the viewer through three distinct time periods within a Mumbai apartment complex characterized by Dar Gai’s prolific hold on us with her artistry of creating great dialogues. As someone who loves to write, my ears watched as much as my eyes did. It is the writing that wins this film over for me. Actually what won me over, first and foremost, was the performance of the young talent, Arya Dave, who plays Raj in the first of the film’s three segments. Who is this kid? He’s good.

Jim and Zoya carried the second segment brilliantly as two ships passing in a brothel at night, but I must say that it is the third segment that is the highlight of the film. It is quite rare to see directions of love, space and screen shared between elder actors of any film industry portrayed as naturally and intimately as it did in this film. Suhasini Mulay and M. K. Raina epitomizes that portrayal, and brought the third segment to life as they remind us all about love, aging and time. Time past and present. It is ultimately what the film is about: The passing and changing times in Mumbai.

“Teen Aur Aadha” won the Grand Jury Prize at the Jaipur International Film Festival, and best screenplay at the Indian World Film Festival. It is produced by Dheer Momaya and is currently streaming on Netflix US. #CinepicksTME