Masaan

Set in present day Banaras, the plot of Masaan follows two seemingly separate story arcs that eventually converge. The first of these tells the story of Devi (Richa Chadda). The film opens with her and her fellow student, Piyush (Saurabh Chaudhary), checking into a hotel room. They are interrupted when the police bursts in, accusing them of indulging in “indecent behaviour”, and even getting a confession from Devi on videotape. Subsequently, Devi and her family are subjected to blackmail by the police, particularly one Inspector Mishra (Bhagwan Tiwari), who demands a hefty bribe from Devi’s father (Sanjay Mishra). The second story follows a young, lower-caste man who falls in love with an upper-caste woman. It documents the tribulations he faces in his attempt to be recognised as an equal in society.