Five films with monsoon themes

Pather Panchali (1955)

A family of four, on the verge of poverty, live in a village in 1922 Bengal. Poet Harihar, determined to find a job, moves to a city leaving his wife Sarbojaya to look after their two children, an old bickering aunt and unsympathetic neighbours. Amid harsh monsoon, the family is struck by tragedy as Harihar goes missing. Having to deal with it herself, Sarbojaya has no other choice but to pray and wait. Directed by Satyajit Ray, ‘Pather Panchali’ is considered to be one of the most poetic depictions of rain. 

Ijaazat (1987)

Ijaazat, directed by Gulzar, is set on a rainy day. Five years after their divorce, Mahendran and Sudha meet at a railway station waiting room and have no choice but to have a conversation. Through their conversation, the story of their life is revealed and we find out about the couple’s failed marriage, Mahendran’s past lover is revealed, who stayed in his heart and why the marriage really ended.

Dweepa (2002)

The government convinces all the natives of the submerging Sita-Parvata island to relocate except for Nagi and her family. They are reluctant to leave their homeland and become faceless migrants among a sea of others. The family is left to face the ruthless monsoon and its consequences while also dealing with relationship issues. Directed by Girish Kasaravalli, ‘Dweepa’ is based on a novel of the same name by Na D’Souza.
Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)

‘Kannathil Muthamittal’ directed by Mani Ratnam is a story about a little girl adopted by Indian parents going on a journey to Sri Lanka. They are on the quest find the girl’s birth parents. She encounters the militant group, Tamil Tigers, and witnesses brutality and violence. She is reunited with her birth mother who unveils the story of her life and her adoption. In the final confrontation scene, as the girl’s biological mother hugs her, accepting her — it rains and the adopted father holds an umbrella over them. 

Ennu Ninte Moindeen (2015)

Directed by R S Vimal, ‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’ is set amidst monsoons, in 1970s Kerala. Two lovers of different faiths fall in love, despite being raised by religiously intolerant families. They are forbidden from seeing each other and only communicate through letters. Moideen works as an activist while Kanchanmala is locked away in her house. The lovers decide to elope to America. When the plans are in place, something startling keeps them both from going, leaving the audience hoping that both the lovers survive. The film is based on a real-life incident.