SUCH A LONG JOURNEY
Feature Film
Red Sky Releasing /The Shooting Gallery
Cast: Roshan Seth, Naseerudin Shah, Soni Razdan, Irfan Khan
Director: Sturla Gunnarsson
Screenplay: Sooni Taraporvealla
Cinematography: Jan Keisser
Score: Jonathan Goldsmith
RedSky Entertainment / The Shooting Gallery
Such A Long Journey
12 Genie Award nominations, including ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Picture’.
“Rich in detail and character and soaked in atmosphere of its time and place … studded with memorable scenes and arresting performances, most notably Mr. Seth’s.” NEW YORK TIMES – A.O. Scott
“It’s not often that a film crosses the line between merely being very good, and being a truly great work of cinema. Such A Long Journey not only crosses that line, but makes it look easy … a modern masterpiece.” BRITISH FILM REVIEW – John Binns
Adapted from Rohinton Mistry’s Booker shortlisted novel. Gustad Noble (Roshan Seth) is a Parsi bank clerk who lives with his family in Bombay just before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. At first, he seems to be a self-centred, self-involved, neurotic man, who is so tied up in his own pain for perceived slights both past and present that he cannot seem to connect with either friends or family.
He is haunted by memories of his privileged youth and his father’s fortune, which has been lost to the machinations of an unscrupulous uncle. He is baffled by the changes wrought in his eldest son, Sohrab (Vrajesh Hirjee), who refuses to attend the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology to which he has gained admittance, and worried about his youngest daughter, Roshan, when she falls ill. Other conflicts involve Gustad’s ongoing interactions with his eccentric neighbours and his relationship with his close friend and co-worker, Dinshawji. Tehmul, a seemingly unimportant and mentally disabled character, is essential in Gustad’s life, as he brings out his tender side and represents innocence in life.
A letter that Gustad receives one day from an old friend, Major Bilimoria, slowly draws him into a government deception involving threats, secrecy and large amounts of money. He then, begins the long journey that sheds new light on all aspects of Gustad’s life.