# Pyre (film)

Pyre is a 2024 Indian drama film directed by filmmaker Vinod Kapri. Pyre had its world premier at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in the Official Competition section, where it was the only film in the competition category and won the best film PÖFF Audience Award. Pyre was also the opening film at 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival, marking its Indian premiere, and has won the Jury Special Mention Award in the Asian Cinema Competition section.

## Premise

In a remote part of the Indian Himalayas, aging couple Padam and Tulsi find their world beginning to erode. Their once lively village is now desolate as more and more families migrate to the cities, leaving the couple to wonder if there will be anyone left to carry out their last rites when their time finally comes. With little hope left, the couple begin to feel themselves wither away beside their beloved village, turning to their childlike bickering as a source of fleeting distraction. One day, to their surprise, Padam and Tulsi receive a letter from their son - a son who they have not heard from in over 30 years. Through this unexpected beacon of hope, their lives change overnight as their once estranged son unwittingly provides them with the will to live on.

## Plot

In the remote Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, an 80-year-old man named Padam Singh walks through the mountainous terrain, beating a small drum and invoking gods and goddesses in a shaky folk tune. His frail wife, Tulsi, follows him, wearing a mismatched saree, shirt, and a rag tied around her head. The two elderly figures navigate steep, rocky paths, their journey seemingly aimless, until Padam suddenly suggests that they close their eyes and jump off a cliff together. This moment marks both an ending and a beginning—the story unravels to reveal how they reached this point.
Padam and Tulsi are among the last residents of their slowly disappearing village, where only a handful of neighbors and some goats remain. Migration has emptied their home, much like their own son, Hariya, who left for Bombay 28 years ago and never returned. With little to do, the couple passes time bickering, singing Kumaoni folk songs, and sharing simple joys—Padam drinks while Tulsi smokes beedi. Their companionship is filled with both love and quarrels, but beneath it lies the harsh reality of their isolation.
Despite his own aging body, Padam cares for Tulsi, who suffers from anemia and persistent coughing. When she needs medical attention, he calls upon the village’s last young men, Jeevan and Laxman, to carry her down to a doctor. In return, he offers them goats—his only possessions of value. However, change is inevitable. One day, the village postman, Bishan, delivers news that Jeevan has been selected for a job in Bombay, and Laxman, too, plans to leave soon. Padam realizes that with their departure, he and Tulsi will have no one left to help them, even in death.
Just as despair settles in, Bishan brings a long-awaited letter from their son, Hariya. He apologizes for his absence and promises to visit on the 5th of the next month. Tulsi, filled with renewed hope, prepares a feast for the remaining villagers to celebrate. They decorate their home, offer prayers at the temple, and wait eagerly for their son’s arrival. However, the promised day comes and goes with no sign of Hariya. As the rain pours down, Tulsi weeps, while Padam reassures her, though doubt lingers in his own heart.
Days later, another letter arrives. Hariya explains he couldn’t come due to his children’s exams but promises to visit on the 27th instead. Once again, hope is rekindled. But in the meantime, Jeevan leaves for his job, and Laxman prepares to depart, leaving the elderly couple completely alone. Padam worries—without help, who will carry Tulsi to the doctor? Worse, who will perform their last rites when the time comes?
As Tulsi’s health deteriorates, Padam makes a grim decision. He begins preparing for their end, setting up two pyres outside their home. He chants prayers, beating his drum, and asks Tulsi to follow him up the valley to jump together, ensuring neither has to live alone. She dismisses his idea, focusing instead on making dinner.
One day, as Padam returns home, Tulsi informs him that yet another letter has arrived from Hariya. This time, he says his daughter is unwell, so he won’t be able to visit. The weight of abandonment settles in. Padam echoes Tulsi’s hope in a resigned tone, whispering, “Yes, he’ll come… he will.” Even though this hope keeps them going, will they ever pile it on the pyres outside their home? Even though they have each other, what happens when one of them goes first? Even though life has abandoned their hills, how long will they honour the hills as their home?
Watch the rest of their story unfold like a path winding up around this mountain of love and loss.

## Reception and themes

Asian Movie Pulse found that the film was "haunting, beautiful story that resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impact that lingers long after the screen fades to black. It is a film that speaks to the heart, capturing the fragility of life and the resilience of love in a world that is slowly fading away." El Perfil also praised the film and in particular the acting. A review at Eye For FIlm noted; "There’s a raw authenticity to the performances from the non-professional stars, who feel as fully part of this landscape as the scoring from Mychael Danna and Amritha Vaz. There’s also a gentle absurdity, not just in the dialogue but also in the way Padam takes a goat almost everywhere with him and frequently hangs his umbrella from the collar of his jacket for safe keeping."
"The mountains hold the key to the film’s most important takeaway. Their function is double-edged: they provide our protagonists with physical and emotional nurture, while also imprisoning them.", according to a review at DMovies.