A Temporary Matter

Adapted from the short story - A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri, from the book of Interpreter of Maladies, the film draws inspiration in its plot and structure. The narrative revolves around a couple, a husband and wife, who over a period of 5 days, courtesy nightly blackouts, get to talk after almost 6 months. These power cuts bring Shobha and Shukumar together for a series of secrets and confessions being shared after the birth of their still born child. Darkness provides a refuge, an alternative reality where Shobha and Shukumar’s fear, grief, and insecurities don’t stand in the way of opening up to one another. It becomes clear their emotional estrangement began much before the loss of their child. The intimacy of sharing meals together leads to truths they are not not prepared for. By the end of the confessions, the two weep together, “for the things they now knew.”