Past Lives

When you leave behind something you also gain something? This was the line which Na Young a Korean says when she is 12 years old to her friend (just a boy). The boy tracks her down after 12 years - he is in Korea & she is in California. After few round of chatting where both are very much in longing to continue their kiddy friendship. But then Na Young says - I have come to California to become a famous playwright and do something meaningful & all I am thinking is ‘when can I come to you in Seoul. Lets pause for some time so I can focus on my work. That pause lasts for another 12 years. 

These are 2 defining dialogues of the movie - driven by the principle that Na Young is a dreamer or maybe achiever - she wanted to win Nobel Prize, then Pulitzer then Tony & the boy is ‘so Korean’ - did engineering and joined a job which hardly pays and boss’s rule his life.

A very rare movie which needs to be felt as you see the movie. Small actions, shots, dialogues (90% in Korean), expressions speak more than dialogues. It’s an exploration of choice we make - which is a rational thing because at that time everything points on that direction. Your mind rules. Once you start your journey in that path - it will have it’s own life, ups and downs. Even if the past slowly becomes a faint memory - people in the past don’t. You don’t know what they are thinking, what they are feeling, what you have left behind with them when you chose a path. It’s a different world.

As the name suggests - what happens when your past comes visiting. In this case your friend when you were 12. Whom you said goodbye  and moved to a different country. And meet after 24 years. It’s not just love, it’s a connection to a country, it’s tradition, it’s language & culture. When she meets him all this comes together to form something more than love - it’s the longing which she suppressed all these years because she wanted to become something. 

The underlying theme of course is immigration, getting uprooted from your city, culture and making your space in an alien culture. Reminded me a lot about Jhumpa Lahiri’s stories especially Interpretation of Maladies. 

Since language is equal to subtitle - most of the talking is done visually. 

A lovely movie to see on a rain soaked day in Bangalore. Alone.