Movies that moved me #2. Brokeback Mountain

At times all you need is a two hour movie to force you to think beyond certain.

Growing up in country like India where Bollywood is the worshiped and gay means kohl-eyed-fluorescently-dressed weird men people don’t get the true idea of homosexuality.

Coming to the point, what I am talking is about rather thought provoking-introspection-evoking movie called Brokeback Mountain. The film deals with two homosexual men struggling to identify themselves and carving out space and time for themselves in the society. The sheer subtlety of the movie shook me. It was the first time I actually understood what love can be between homosexuals, how tough can it be for them to express what they feel.

I downloaded the movie thinking it to be as another Anna Hathaway’s rom-com but the content actually mocked the sheer stupidity of my expectation: the very concept of love that is fed in our minds through not just society but the media around us.

Beautifully shot amidst the breath taking beauty of mountains, the movie triggers a great thought process. The love between Jack and Ennis left me in tears and made me wonder how can we not expect and adore the “love” between people belonging to same sex!? Why is that people associate physical malfunction to the very existence of the concept of homosexuality?

This movie came to my notice at a very important juncture.

Now that I recall my day, I recollect how it started with a very short-apparently-not-so-important conversation about homosexuality. My friend shared her experience as a SBI worker where she came across a lesbian couple as their potential client. She explained how stupid and terrifying it was for her that her client-to-be was a lesbian. She went to her place to get a form filled but was unable to do so as she didn’t know how to show her relation with her lesbian partner. Moreover when she called her boss, she was advised to leave the place asap.

I couldn't help but nod through her chat but somewhere she lost the respectful place in my eyes.

But then problem is not entirely of hers. India is lagging behind in more than one way but it is the society that needs utmost attention. Like in the movie where Ennis recalled how his dad made sure he and his brothers see the brutal end of the guy who dared to live with other guy, in India too a child is trained to repel the idea of homosexuality and keep away from any gay or lesbian.

I, myself, wasn’t prepared for this subject but the movie not only showed me the actualities of such relationships but left me swayed by their love. No doubt credit goes to the brilliant brilliant actors for portraying the roles so damn well.

Not just society, movies like these make me sad about the quality of cinema in India and the pitiful thinking of its audience. Media went crazy when Ranbir Kapoor did towel scene in Saawariya or when Ram Kapoor “kissed” (okay if you call it so :/) Priya on small screen. We ourselves bound the audience in the realms of socially presentable form of love. Movies like Brokeback Mountains mock us in the face. They actually reflect to the huge gulf our creativity has between what we make and what the reality is. Screw the portrayal or conviction; we don’t have any strong movie on a subject like this.

However, this post is to share the respect this movie has inspired for homosexuals in me. If you are looking for some good-solid-content-based movie this is hard to miss. And not to forget it features two immensely talented and good looking actors *bonus point*.

*One of my favorite moments in the movie*