Director, producer and writer Rohit Ganguly chooses the popular genre of docu-fiction to tell us a story about alienation in a modern-day relationship with his work “Entry Exit”.
“Entry Exit” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
An interview is carried out to a man (Akshai Kapoor) and a woman (Kinki Dasgupta), and their answers are mixed with everyday occurrences, phone calls, interactions. However, the two “specimens” are always examined separately in a way that we can notice the difference between their answers and reactions. “Entry Exit” is filmed in a dark and contrasted black and white with special attention on the editing of all the fragments of real life, interlaced with the Q&A clips.
The couple seems to be plagued by the rhythm of their days; their working schedules are different and the two seem to never meet (as the title suggests). Moreover, for the same reason, they eat at different times, making those little relaxed convivial moments of a couple life, almost non-existent.
At some point, the interviewer asks about their intimacy and both elude the question, one laughing nervously, the other more directly asking for the next question. It is obviously the sore spot of the relationship, but we don't really get to know if it is a consequence of the working routine or if it's the problem at the base of choosing such a penalising routine. Loneliness is hinted with melancholic shots of the female character staring out of the window, almost trapped in the domestic cage.
“Entry Exit” is an elegant package that contains a very contemporary issue; however, the dialogues or, better say the monologues, are very imbalanced and stereotypical as the only contribution that the woman brings to the discussion is her dealing with food preparation and organising the housemaid. This is rather unfair (and utterly tedious) as they both work the same number of hours and they both bring money to the family. Nevertheless, the man talks only about his work in a bank and the woman inevitably comes across as a nagging, shallow and annoying person. Phrases like “it's impossible to find a trustworthy servant” and her impatience with the maid are irrelevant to the discussion and I am pretty sure she has some more deep concerns in life, like her happiness or her sex-avoiding husband.
Maybe, to explore modern couples and relationships it is helpful to shake off the preconceived ideas of what a woman thinks and delve deeper in the matter with an open mind and a female co-writer.
