Koktebel

Director: Boris Khlebnikov, Alexsei Popogrebsky
Starring: Igor Scernyevics, Gleb Puskepalis
Year: 2003

A windowed aeronautics engineer, an alcoholic who has lost his job, travels with his son hopping freight trains from Moscow to Koktebel, a town by the Black Sea, to start a new life with the father's sister.

Comments: Beautifully filmed. Every scene captures the exquisite landscape like a timeless photograph. The film is about search and discovery. It uses the metaphor of the "the road" to reflect on the relationship between a father who is seeking a way back from a personal abyss and his son who is on a path of preadolescent awakening.

Recommended.

Dharm

Director: Bhavna Talwar
Starring: Pankaj Kapur, Supriya Pathak,
Year: 2007

The story is based in Banaras and is about Pandit Chaturvedi (Pankaj Kapoor), a highly revered and learned priest. A child is abandoned by a woman and brought to his house by his daughter. He agrees to adopt the child due to requests from his wife (Supriya Pathak) .Life takes a turn when he finds out that the child is a Muslim after he has become attached to the child. The family gives back the child to his mother. Chaturvedi engulfs himself in the purification process to cleanse his body, mind and soul due to contact with a Muslim soul. By the time, Chaturvedi thinks he is fully purified – the child reappears – seeking refuge, due to Hindu- Muslim riots. This is the time Chaturvedi finally realizes that the true religion is humanity.

Comments: A truly captivating performance by Kapur. A film that will appeal to all those that believe in universality of humanity.

The word Dharm originates from Sanskrit, and is the term used in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and other religions to mean the philosophy of right thoughts and actions.

Recommended.