Agra is weird, even ambitiously so, as the film moves between being disturbing and just plain odd, it doesn’t fully land on either side, observes Mayur Sanap.
Kanu Behl’s Agra is not a conventional film that can be judged easily.
The director had earlier hinted at his distinctive approach with his debut feature Titli, an unsettling portrait of a dysfunctional family, followed by Despatch, which delves into the fractured psyche of a journalist, played by Manoj Bajpayee.
His latest work, Agra, carries the unsettling mood just as Titli did, with thematic similarities in exploring family dynamics and their imprint on a young mind.
Behl turns inward with Agra, offering a startling study of repressed desires and their lasting impact on one’s mind.
In that sense, the title isn’t exactly subtle as it draws a clear parallel between the creeping madness of its many characters and the city’s repute for housing a mental asylum.
That famed Taj Mahal, though, finds no place here, neither in spirit nor in story.
The film focuses on Guru (Mohit Agrawal), a 25-year-old man who wants sex but never has it.
He works at a call centre and spends most of his free time in the virtual world of dating apps and sex chat to satisfy his cravings.
He lives in a dilapidated house with his family, where its narrow walls and cramped rooms push the family constantly at odds with one another.
Guru shares a room with his mother (Vibha Chibber), who is perpetually exasperated by his ill-mannered behaviour.
Presiding over the household is Daddyji (Rahul Roy), who lives upstairs with his mistress, a woman everyone pointedly refers to as Aunty (Sonal Jha).
Guru dreams of marriage and imagines a new life in a small room he hopes to build for his future wife in the same house.
But his mother has different plans.
She wants to turn the rooftop into a clinic for her dentist daughter (Aanchal Goswami) to practice in.
Guru’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Priti (Priyanka Bose), an older, physically challenged woman who runs an Internet cafe. A passionate affair begins between them, leading to plans of marriage.
The family is distraught upon discovering Daddyji‘s affair with another woman.
They grow anxious upon realising he intends to sell the house and move in with his new partner. His decision could potentially leave them all homeless.
Behl and co-writer Atika Chohan (Chhapaak) craft a family drama that initially plays out like a black comedy but gradually reveals itself as a disturbing character study of how repression and unresolved trauma can spiral into a manic state.
The director plays with our senses, as he captures the unsettling journey into the abyss of the mind of the troubled protagonist with a sense of unease.
Guru, in that sense, feels similar to Shashank Arora’s titular character in Titli or even Shutu from Konkona Sensharma’s sublime A Death in the Gunj.
There are several psychological shocks that reflect Guru’s gradual mental decline, shown through a few bold and explicit scenes. It’s easy to imagine the censor board having a tough time with this one!
For a film that depicts sex, there’s nothing sexy about it. Neither is it sensual.
Rather, it is decidedly provocative, but in its own tormented way.
At one point, a tense moment unfolds between Guru and his sister. What begins as her attempt to comfort him soon turns uncomfortable.
It’s to show his emotional struggle and just how lonely he has become.
Agra is weird, even ambitiously so, as the film moves between being disturbing and just plain odd, it doesn’t fully land on either side.
The performances from the well-put together cast, especially of the debutant Mohit Agarwal is utterly believable, but the psychological chaos feels messy rather than moving, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.
The ending feels anti-climactic, closing on an open note similar to Fahadh Faasil’s did that actually happen? moment in Trance.
But much of it only works on the surface and doesn’t leave a lasting impact.
Yes, Behl still tries to play with our minds as he often does, but it’s done without the sharpness or depth to truly leave a mark.
Agra Review Rediff Rating:
