‘Together’ is a quiet story which is nevertheless marked by a powerful and empathic voice. Munmun, a single parent and thus, the sole earner of her family, is a domestic help who is out of work because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Without making it explicit, the film presents the dire financial straits of the protagonist who has not made rent in two months.
Consequently, one day when an opportunity knocks on the door, living for a week at the house of an unwell couple, she is quick to take it, leaving her two young children by themselves at home. The lady of the house, taking care of her Covid-stricken husband, is cold and unkind in her approach to the hardworking Munmun.
Along with the many difficulties which the pandemic presented to people across the spectrum, both the privileged and otherwise, the film also offers a trajectory of kindness, from standoffishness to concern to an eventual softening of the heart. However, the question intrinsic to the narrative remains that when this kindness finally arrives, would it be enough, and would it be in time?
Read LessConsequently, one day when an opportunity knocks on the door, living for a week at the house of an unwell couple, she is quick to take it, leaving her two young children by themselves at home. The lady of the house, taking care of her Covid-stricken husband, is cold and unkind in her approach to the hardworking Munmun.
Along with the many difficulties which the pandemic presented to people across the spectrum, both the privileged and otherwise, the film also offers a trajectory of kindness, from standoffishness to concern to an eventual softening of the heart. However, the question intrinsic to the narrative remains that when this kindness finally arrives, would it be enough, and would it be in time?
Although the story represents a time and incidents we have all been part of, the core idea came from someone I knew in person; a domestic worker, a single mother, who chose to take care of a Covid patient in order to provide for her kids. On the other hand, there were those who did not go through a crisis of this kind, but at the same time, could not escape the fear and anxiety pertaining to the wellbeing of themselves and their families.
There was a lot of chaos going on in the outside world, but I wanted to stay with the unrest playing out within the four walls of domesticity, and also focus on how the pandemic impacted different classes and genders differently.
There was a lot of chaos going on in the outside world, but I wanted to stay with the unrest playing out within the four walls of domesticity, and also focus on how the pandemic impacted different classes and genders differently.
Azad AlamDirector, Together
