A film for all seasons

Protagonist Prakash Jha suffers from SAD

The lockdown has taken a toll on people's mental health, and there are many who are hoping that the situation normalises before the monsoon. But there are some others whose lives are awash with misery when the rains arrive. They can't handle it. The muck, the incessant pitter-patter, the sticky feeling of wet clothes - it all gets to them to such an extent that they experience a feeling of listlessness. They hope that the October heat will remedy the situation. But it doesn't. And the feeling of depression sometimes gets even worse in the winter, because what they are actually suffering from is a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder, ironically abbreviated as SAD, which unhinges their mental framework as the months tick by in a calendar year.

A still from Season's Greetings

This is the subject of a 14-minute-long film called Season's Greetings by Manish Singh that's now available for streaming on an online platform. It follows the four-month journey of a Mumbai migrant whose ordeal begins in the oppressive heat of June. A malfunctioning fan in his one-room apartment compounds his misery, and he literally prays for the heavens to break open so that he gets some relief. The showers eventually begin. But the initial joy he felt about the first few drops dissipates as the rainfall continues unabated. A helpless irritation creeps into his demeanour, which reflects in his interactions with people like the three men who arrive at his doorstep seeking donations for the upcoming Ganesh festival. Even the sight of a girl getting wet with gay abandon in the pouring rain gets his goat. So, his prayers change. He begs the Almighty to drive the storm clouds away. Then, September arrives. His prayers are answered. The sun shines again. But, sitting in a shelter-less bus stop, he realises at one point that his listlessness is back to square one. "Phir se wahi dhoop," he laments to himself.

This protagonist played by Pankaj Jha is an example of 10 million people who suffer from SAD annually in the country, according to the Indian Medical Association. Singh, who is also the film's writer, tells us that the thought about tackling the subject struck him when he experienced his first Mumbai monsoon after shifting to the city from Bihar 10 years ago, and noticed how people had mood swings because of the seasonal change. He adds that the character he built is someone who has lost the ability to interact with people because of his condition. Singh says, "He ignores all celebrations, doesn't take part in festivals, and even gets annoyed when he overhears a couple enjoying the prospect of a garam samosa in the pouring rain, because he feels, 'How can someone else be having fun when I am feeling so miserable?'"

Singh also says that he chose the one-room apartment in Malad East to shoot the film in since the slum that it overlooks heightens the protagonist's sense of depression. That's the central emotion the film tries to portray, and the message it sends out is that SAD is a debilitating disorder since there's no getting away from it unless you seek professional help - you're bound to feel it if you have it, come rain or shine.

Manish Singh

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