I watched Shoojit SircarāsĀ OctoberĀ just now. Itās been on my watchlist for years, and now that Iāve finally watched it, I feel like Iām missing something. I want to understand the film better.
One thing I couldnāt understand was why Dan became so concerned about Shiuli in the first place. Later, we find out that she had asked about him before the accident. Maybe Dan finds this out earlier, and thatās what makes him curious about her. I feel like if I had seen that curiosity develop first, I would have understood his concern and attachment a little better.
I also came across a review on Letterboxd that said: "All shiuli needed was a reason to live and then dan came in her life and gave her the hope she needed but when she realised that dan was suffering just because of the last thing she said before the accident; at that time shiuli decided to give up as she didn't want dan to grieve even more. It's not a love story, it is a story about love." I really liked this perspective, but it also made me question something. Shiuli was slowly recovering, and when Dan came into her life, she seemed to come alive in some ways. So why didn't she fight a little longer to recover and return to a normal life?
I understand that her condition was serious, and maybe I'm looking at it too logically. But after seeing her progress, I couldn't help wondering why she couldn't hold on a little longer.
As for Shiuli asking about Dan before the accident, I personally felt she might have just asked about him normally. I didn't necessarily interpret it as her having feelings for him. Maybe I'm missing something there, too.
I know the film isn't meant to be a conventional love story, and there's probably a lot more to it than what I've understood.
I'd love to hear your interpretations, especially about Dan's attachment to Shiuli, what Shiuli felt for Dan, and the meaning behind the ending.Ā Maybe hearing different perspectives will help me understand what Shoojit Sircar was trying to convey.
I'm genuinely curious to know how others experienced this film...