Anand

Sekhar Kammula's 2004 Telugu film follows Roopa, trying to live on her own after a broken engagement. Anand, who moves into the same neighbourhood, grows close to her, but what she is looking for is not a rescuer but time in which to make her own decisions. What distinguishes the film is the calm of its tone. It stands outside the loud romantic template of Telugu cinema at the time; there are almost no fights, song breaks or outsized gestures. The narrative proceeds through everyday conversation. The woman is at the centre and makes her own decisions, a construction not often seen in the Telugu mainstream of the period. Kamalinee Mukherjee and Raja lead. The production is small in scale and largely interior. Who it's for: those who like quiet Indian romantic drama. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a driven narrative; there is very little dramatic rise across the film.