Sabar Bonda (Marathi) [Cactus Pears]

I’ve been dying to see this movie ever since I heard about its big debut at Cannes. It’s a bummer I missed it on the big screen, so I had to sit tight until it finally hit streaming. While it might look like your typical slice-of-life gay romance, it’s really more about two people finding a deep bond during a pretty rough patch in their lives. It’s a very tender look at two guys just trying to figure out how to exist when everything feels a bit broken—dealing with being fatherless, being single, and feeling like the life they knew has been totally uprooted.

The story kicks off in Mumbai with 30-year-old Anand, whose father has just passed away. He travels back to his ancestral village with his mother to handle the cremation and the ten days of traditional rituals that follow. We find out that Anand was actually open with his parents about being gay, especially after a former lover left him to marry a woman. Once they’re back in the village, his mom warns him that the neighbors are going to start pestering him about getting married, so they’ll need to come up with some excuses to keep people off his back. While he’s navigating his grief and all these awkward questions from relatives, Anand reconnects with Balya. They were childhood friends who probably messed around a bit as kids. Balya comes from a lower social class and is being pressured like crazy to get married, but he spends his time herding goats and doing the odd driving job. Anand starts tagging along with him, and as they talk about life, they share these really warm moments that pull them closer. Anand’s mom, who is incredibly observant, notices the spark and quietly hopes that if her son can't marry a girl, maybe he can find a life with this boy. Eventually, the two men find the intimacy they’ve both been missing, and after a few small misunderstandings, Balya decides to head to Mumbai with Anand to find a better job and, more importantly, a chance to be himself with the guy he loves.

Set in a remote Indian village, the movie starts out feeling very heavy and melancholic, slowly moving into the emotional dance of two people skirting around the truth. This isn’t one of those "journey to find yourself" movies; it’s a small, quiet slice of life about learning how to keep breathing after someone dies. Because of that, Anand’s father is a huge presence in the film. You can tell they were close, and it feels like Anand is a bit shut down because he’s still processing that loss. His mother is the practical heart of the story; she knows you can’t change the hand life deals you, so you might as well learn to play it. The scenes between Anand and Balya feel so everyday and casual—they just sit around talking about old trees that got cut down or the fruit they used to eat as kids. You’re constantly waiting for someone to make a move, but it takes forever. As Balya puts it, guys in the village usually just hook up and bolt; they rarely actually sit down and talk.

I also really loved the bond between the mother and son; she’s so incredibly understanding of his situation. As the days go by, Anand starts to actually respect the traditions he’s performing, not just for his mom’s sake, but as a way to finally sit with his own grief. There’s a real sweetness to the whole thing because everyone genuinely wants the best for each other, even if they don't always see eye-to-eye. It captures that specific, silent struggle queer men face when they have to fight just to stay single or find a relationship that’s more than just a quick, secret hookup. The two lead actors are fantastic, and the mom is just brilliant—it honestly feels like you’re eavesdropping on a real family. Just a heads-up, though: the movie is incredibly slow. I can see critics loving every second of it, but your average viewer might lose their patience waiting for a "big moment" that never really comes. Personally, it worked for me because I knew the vibe going in and I felt a real connection to the culture. Sabar Bonda is a lot like the fruit it's named after—a bit prickly on the outside, but really sweet once you get into it. It’s an honest, moving story built on the quiet moments of life.

It's a deeply moving and gentle story about love and loss that takes its time, so it's perfect if you're in the mood for something simple and heartfelt. (8/10)