Clever and Lonely

Directed: Ashwini Malik, India, 2002, 86mins
Cast: Aamir Bashir; Nilanjana
Print Source: TrishFlicks

Amongst all the Bollywood hype, you may have been wondering what happened to independent Indian cinema. Well, look no further than Clever and Lonely, a low-budget love-story which marks the arrival of a genuine talent.

The title describes our two main characters, who meet driving home from a party, and despite their affluent Bombay lives it quickly becomes clear that both systems analyst Aditya (Aamir Bashir) and aspiring actress Akanksha (Nilanjana) are looking for something more. Over the course of a weekend, they try and work out whether they have found that something more in each other, and thanks to a confident script and two excellent actors we are pulled right in with them.

Unlike many Indian movies, Clever and Lonely is sharp and honest about the way men and women treat one another, creating a convincing picture of modern courtship and capturing that scary, giddy moment when we first fall for someone.

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