Set in the lush state of Kerala in India, this slowly paced drama explores the relationship between an old man and his son, who is studying engineering in the state capital of Raghu. As the film opens, he is expecting his son to arrive home by bus from school. He goes to the bus stop filled with eager anticipation, but the bus arrives and his son isn't on it. This ritual is repeated day after day. Even after he begins to lose hope he continues faithfully to go to the bus stop and wait. His wife and daughter plead with him not to keep doing this. Eventually, he and his daughter travel to the capital to try to learn what happened to the boy. It turns out that he made the mistake of singing a political protest song. The boy's friends think he has been killed by the police, but we never find out for sure. In the end, the old man goes mad, mercifully, since he is able to believe that his son has returned.
by Clarke Fountain
synopsis
