1) Above, below and around
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The very first time Sumon and Nirmali meet is on a sunday. He asks her to see a friend who has eaten too much meat. The fact that Nirmali is above him visually is a subtle cue at the age/ morality difference. However, the fact that she agrees to see a patient on sunday is already her doing something forbidden on a very small level- something she doesn't usually do.
The fact that she leaves a place full of greenery/grass/leaves to go with him is a subtle nod at what is to unfold.
2)the joke
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In the beginning scenes, there's a point where Elias da tells a joke about a veterinary doctor confessing to a Father of having sex with his patient. While it can be taken on its face value- a harmless joke as Elias Da himself is a veterinarian however, the amount of foreshadowing in Aamis is insane! It can be considered to be pointing towards Nirmali (a doctor) and her patient's (rather the patient's friend) relationship.
3)addictions
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In the upper snapshot, Sumon is talking about Gandhi Puk- an insect that is eaten in some areas and its fluid is a hallucinogen. In the lower snapshot, Nirmali is devouring chicken after dinner.
Thus the question- is it food or a hallucinogen?
The director has repeatedly drawing parallels between food and love Food being something we need to survive, one can argue that the whole discourse is on love instead. Hence he asks a fundamental question is love something we need to survive or is it a drug?
4)Nirmali's transformation
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While Nirmali's transformation is something that drives Aamis, something that is quite impossible to miss yet Hazarika finds subtle ways to show this too. While in the beginning the thought of consuming beetles was entirely disgusting for her, by intermission, devouring worms, bats or beetles even was almost arousing.
5) whatsapp
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Modern love is incomplete without whatsapp. Period. Aamis has used Whatsapp in quite an effective manner. As Nirmali avoids the physicality of their relationship, an online friendship can be a great way to maintain it. While sending/ wanting to send your picture to a lover is completely normal, it is a bit unnecessary between friends. Hence she sends her picture with her son- a smart way to do what lovers do, and still be able to rationalise it to her conscience.
6) badulir mankho (bat meat)
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From the very beginning, Nirmali is shown to be morally staunch woman. She doesn't approve of extra marital affairs. Her conscience finds it difficult to define what she feels for Sumon. Hence when she wants to eat bat meat - a forbidden meat, in her mind, she is doing something forbidden with Sumon. Yet she can rationalise it to herself that it is just food. It is clearly seen that she fiddles with her wedding ring as she discusses to go with Sumon to eat bat meat.
7) touch - me - not
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In a blink-and-you-miss-it shot, on their way to eat Badulir mankho (bat meat), there is this shot of a touch me not plant. The leaves curl inwards as the car passes it probably because something touched it. A subtle parallel is drawn here as well. Nirmali can very well be a touch-me-not, whenever Sumon attempts to touch her, she curls inwards.
Touch is forbidden-touch-me-not.
8) the ending
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The ending, is unquestionably, the best part of the movie and establishes this genre defying venture as a love story at its very heart. Sumon speaks, in an earlier part of the movie, that the concept of normal is not universal. Not only is it a nod to unusual eating practices but also to human morality.
Aamis repeatedly shatters societal beliefs and taboos- from cannibalism to adultery, it questions the audience. It is important to note that it is the first time Sumon and Nirmali have touched each other. Love might be the end of us but in the end, love shall always be there for us.
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