‘Once Again’| Shefali Shah and Neeraj Kabi

A second chance at finding love

Written and Directed by Indian-German filmmaker Kanwal Sethi, the film premiered on Netflix on 1st September 2018. ‘Once Again’ revolves around the story of how a widowed restaurant owner, Tara and a divorced B-town actor Amar develop a deeply connected relationship via phone calls and hand-written letters. The film features Shefali Shah as Tara and Neeraj Kobi as Amar in the lead. Actor Rasika Dugal is seen playing the role of Amar’s daughter, Sapna.  The cast also incldes Priyanshu Painyuli, Bidita Bag and Bhagwan Tiwari Shefali Shah – an absolute powerhouse of talent – made her Bollywood debut with a minor role in Rangeela (1995). She has delivered spellbinding performances in her films ever since – Satya, Monsoon Wedding, Gandhi My Father, Waqt, Dil Dhadakne Do and her latest being Commando 2 – to name a few. Neeraj Kabi is a well known theatre artist and actor. He made his debut in 1997 with an appearance in the National Award Winning film The Last Vision, directed by A.K.Bir. Following that, he has been seen in films like Ship of Thesus, Detective Byomkesh Bakshi, and Talvar. As the title suggests, the film is based on love that can be found one more time. Tara is a mother of two – a son and a daughter, with a restaurant to run. Even amid the chaos of her daily life and the abundant responsibilities on her shoulders, she lacks companionship – leaving her with a sense of loneliness. She is introduced to Amar, an actor and a father, who shares this feeling of being lonesome, through an order that leaves her restaurant to be delivered to his house. He is portrayed as an introverted man, who often has trouble connecting to his own emotions. The chemistry between Tara and Amar is enticing, keeping your eyes hooked on to the screen.

Unlike all the other women Amar usually finds himself surrounded by, Tara is not starstruck by his presence. In fact, she is honest with him. This sparks a fire between them, followed by softly worded daily phone calls. The couple does not find a way to be with each other until the very end of the movie – with obstacles falling their way on both interpersonal and intrapersonal levels. The film can be found on Netflix. Here is the trailer –