Ijaazat

Gulzar's 1987 Indian film follows a former couple who meet by chance at a railway station. Sitting in the waiting room, they go back over why they separated. The film is made almost entirely of flashbacks. The marriage had been shadowed by the presence of someone else; the narrative blames no one and shows that all three had reasons of their own. Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah lead. It is adapted from a Bengali story. The songs do work inside the narrative and are the best-known part of the film. Who it's for: viewers of Indian art cinema and adult relationship drama. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a clear close; the film ends without vindicating anyone.