Two strangers meet in a shared cab at 3 am in Bombay - one a writer with an advertising firm, the other an investment banker. One of them has had a very long day at work, the other has an anecdote to share about a beef curry he had two days ago. It's easy to see how the two are in completely different mental spaces, yet there's a common thread, one that often connects strangers in a big city. It could be the mad rush of it that forces them to find solace in brief encounters or moments, or it could be a divine, otherworldly connection. Detour, with its narrative most effortlessly handled by director and writer Sumi Mathai, and the convincing chemistry of Sayani Gupta and Vikrant Massey, explores these dynamics and leaves it up to the viewer to decide which is what.

Detour | Short Film of the Day

In essence, the narrative of the film is about a battle between the pragmatism and worldly accumulation of wealth and material goods by a real estate professional, and a less practical actor and theatre artist who struggles to make enough money even for basic needs like rent. In the centre of this tussle is a woman, the sister of the former, and the beloved of the latter, on whom the two contrasting sets of opinions eventually pivot. It is then an ingenious scheme that allows one to triumph over another. Consequently, it is the plot which becomes the most notable aspect of the film, also invoking for the viewer thinkers, performers and writers of the past in the form of Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekov and Charlie Chaplin. While the narrative might leave it up to the viewer to decide who will be the winner in the overarching war between worldly pursuits and the heart's desire to create, think and perform, the fate of the two primary characters are decided by it, and thus presented to the viewer at its conclusion.

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