• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Is it just me or Life In A...Metro still feels relevant after all these years? Even though the movie was released in 2007, its idea of heartbreak, love, and loneliness in a large city like Mumbai continue to be relevant today. Anurag Basu's perspective on city life feels strangely timeless because these discussions have only escalated today. The filmmaker combined stories of different people about choices that they must make to survive in this city. Now for me what still makes sense is the loneliness in the big city and the growing need for connection as depicted in the movie.

Shikha (Shilpa Shetty), battled a bitter marriage while balancing responsibilities and desire. In a city where everyone was rushing, Akash (Shiney Ahuja) represented how fragile and short relationships were. As ambitious but frail Neha's dreams often came at the price of peace. While Monty (Irrfan Khan) offered much-needed smiles and honesty, reminding us that sometimes the most candid individuals have the best outlooks on life. And I've seen resemblances of these individuals in my close space - friends, coworkers, and neighbours.

ALSO READ - Why Did Anurag Basu Choose Irrfan Khan For Life In A Metro? Filmmaker Reveals Ahead Of Metro In Dino Release

What Bothers Me About Life In A... Metro?

However, where Life In A...Metro begins to feel less convincing for is in how it handles accountability in relationships, particularly between Shikha and her husband Ranjit (Kay Kay Menon). Shikha’s storyline, written as a 'compromise,' felt like a betrayal. Ranjit was obviously emotionally unavailable, openly unfaithful, and deeply entitled. His affair with Neha (Kangana Ranaut) spans two years and when confronted, he lashes out with cruelty and misogyny. Shikha, who finds a momentary emotional connection with Akash becomes the one burdened with guilt. WHY?

Only the music in Life In A...Metro calmed my heart when I wanted to ask Anurag Basu why Shikha returned to her marriage and why the narrative never questioned Ranjit’s double standards. Perhaps it was a reflection of the times, when women were expected to uphold marriages at any cost, and men’s transgressions were quietly normalised. The rock-infused soundtrack, instead of disrupting the film, carried those unspoken emotions. It didn't justify Shikha’s decision, but in its delicate, aching notes, it almost answered why she chose silence and compromise, because that was the only language the world around her allowed.

In their tender ache, the songs didn’t justify Shikha's return, but they offered a kind of answer, that sometimes silence, compromise, and heartbreak were the only endings women were allowed, and music was the only place their unspoken sorrow could breathe.

Life In A...Metro vs Metro In Dino

For me, Life In A...Metro gave a glimpse of what many people in our parents' generation might have gone through without realizing it, marriages that were burdened by compromise, women who felt guilty about decisions that men were rarely asked about, and a culture that frequently valued perseverance over dilemma.

ALSO READ - Metro In Dino Reactions: Netizens Hail Performances, Music Of Konkona Sensharma-Pankaj Tripathi’s Movie; Call It ‘Heartwarming’

Metro In Dino, on the other hand, seemed like a step in the right direction and a representation of what we still need to outgrow. The story didn't romanticize toxicity in the name of love, female characters had more agency and men were written with more emotional maturity.