"A heartfelt paean to the inevitability of life and the impossibility of death"—Sunil Bhandari, The Uncuts

In a century-old chawl we meet Ira and Narayan who have lived together in a 12'x12' partitioned room for 53 years. Without affluence or influence, these unconventional octogenarians petition the highest authorities in the country for the right to die together. Confronted with obstacles like its illegality and its taboo in Hindu culture, they actively engage the media to have their voice heard. Attention brings the watchful eye of the police to their door. Feeling sentenced to live beyond their wishes and waiting for official response causes time to hang heavy. Outside their front door, we are transported from their island of isolation, to the frenetic rhythms of chawl life where seasons, festivals, events, rush by.

The couple’s aging bodies and minds, juxtaposed with the relentless march of progress of the city and its dwellers, tell parallel stories of transience. Within this narrative, a neighborhood sculptor, crafting Ganesha idols, symbolises the eternal cycle of birth, life and death. Through this ethnic microcosm, universal themes of love, loss, freedom, ageing, are uncovered. An unforeseen crisis brings the couple to a crossroad.

Pallium India is a national registered charitable trust formed in 2003. It is an NGO based out of Trivandrum, Kerala, with the objective of alleviating serious health-related suffering (SHS) of 7-10 million people in India. They strive to demonstrate quality palliative care, to educate professionals and the public, and facilitate development of palliative care services across India.

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