FILM SYNOPSIS
“On the path of enlightenment: desires breed realisation — one is attachment and the other is detachment.”
“Sexuality meets spirituality, pushing physical and psychological boundaries to the limit.”
Mira, is trying to fill her ’emptiness’ by taking an overseas trip to India, not as a tourist, but as a traveller. Although, she has ‘everything going for her’ Mira’s deflated soul haunts her to distraction whereby, once in India, leads to a multi-layered realisation of love, desire, attachment, enlightenment, life-long friendships in the most unlikeliest of people — a Sadhu, a Professor, a servant, a dangerous gang lead by a bully and ‘India’ herself.
Mira forms an attraction towards Sadhu, a monk who lives in a cemetery. It’s a case of opposites attract, Mira experiences desire in hope of attachment, whereas Sadhu’s only desire is enlightenment and to attain this is detachment.
This journey comes at a big price: Mira crosses paths with the local Indian gang lead by a bully with local pulling power. Not only is she put to the test, but her friends and friendships are too — some with dire consequences, others saturated in passion.
The feature SADHU weaves an intricate journey for us all, both in sensuality and spirituality. It is where ‘east meets west’ exploring and educating us in the Hindi way, whether it be the customs in etiquette, spirituality and/or present day caste system/power play. “Sadhu” also explores the vice versa, the west influence and interpretations, hence the Australian characters are very authentic and so too are the Indian characters.
Overall, it’s a drama based on human sensitivities towards what is good, and what is less good. It reminders us how we really need to learn how to ask the right questions before we seek any answers.
It holds multiple lead and compelling characters with an engaging story based on topics rarely touched-on before, in turn attracting quality cast and crew to guarantee success both in acclaim and in the financial sectors.
It is set both in Australia and India; exploring the cityscape and meshing the two culture’s love for music, landscape and atmosphere.
LOGLINE
A female who ‘has everything going for her’ including a great job, close friends and a passionate lover goes to India in search of pure inner joy and fulfilment, but a rift develops between spirituality and sensuality, giving rise to life changing consequences.
SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE
SADHU does not follow the traditional B-Act screenplay format. The set-up, the conflict and the resolution are definitely and clearly present, but in a constant state of motion — somewhat like a wheel.
Girish Makwana uses montage techniques, flashbacks and present tense events in a clever and entertaining way to inform, highlight and retell parts in order to make the whole story become apparent. His love for composing music creates the perfect backdrop to the many scenes, which require that extra something to convey the many layers of individual events and/or scenes.
KEY CHARACTERS
MIRA: Lead Female — Australian – Sensitive and beautiful woman trying to understand attachment and detachment, desire and danger, enlightenment and fulfilment. Hence, she travels to India, and gets to know a sadhu, a professor, a dangerous man, fragility of friendships and her own resilience. Nudity and sex scenes.
SADHU: Lead Male — Indian — A sadhu living in a cemetery, a monk, possessing nothing and meditating, trying to learn the way to kill his ego and detach permanently from society. Then Mira observes him, and approaches him wanting to understand his ways and in the interim falls in love with him. Nudity and sex scene.
RENEE: Female Support – Australian – Fun loving Aussie party girl who has never been courageous enough to fall in love until now, typically and frequently enjoys the single girl’s freedom of drugs, parties, and one night stands. Mira’s best friend who makes the trip to India to catch up with Mira. Nudity and sex scene.
PROFESSOR HEMANT: Male Support — Indian — Hindi professor and lecturer who supports and helps Mira while in India from teaching her Hindi to well being support, and ultimately falls in love with her. Nudity and sex scene.
RANA: Male Support — Indian — Local bully politician who abuses power and is a womaniser. He is a murderer and a thief, and because of his wealthy status has full control over the police and other authorities. Nudity and sex scene
(Minor)
NATU: Male Support — Indian — Professor Hemant’s faithful servant and plays a role is helping Mira in India from saving her life to helping her find Sadhu.
RADHA: Female Support — Indian – Professor Hemant’s wife from an arranged marriage. Her first love was Sadhu, the very same one that Mira is infatuated with years later. Nudity and sex scene.
