Following the aching conversations between two broken souls, Not Today is essentially a dark and pessimistic tale that could so easily have been a drab conversational film revolving around a relevant subject. By this I do mean that the writer’s indulgence in tapping into just the pain quotient of the drama by converting the characters into victims of circumstances just a lurking threat of sorts. But credit to writer Aditya Kripalani for keeping the conversations grounded, expertly blending some light hearted but heartfelt small talks between the two characters that act as circuit breakers while also delving into the lives of common folks like you or me, who might be carrying a mountain of pain within themselves, yet appear to be smiling and happy to the world around them. The conversations are layered by painting a distinct picture of the ever evolving personalities of two individuals that were destined to meet in life, if atleast one of them was willing to give life another chance(which Ashwin did via a phone call).

The drama offers an unwavering focus never losing sight of the current situation of the two characters, while alluring the viewers in their conversations instead of cutting it into a flashback sequence. As a result, you as a viewer are always in the moment with the two characters are never disconnected from their journeys. This trust that the filmmaker does show on his viewers is incredible, as it definitely enhances the overall movie watching experience with a lingering after-effect. The drama wastes no time in introducing the protagonist who is shown to be undergoing training to tackle the various situations that she may encounter during a phone call at the Suicide Prevention Center. In a brief discussion, she briefly retorts on the idea of having to block ‘spam’ calls citing a reason that they may also need help at a latter point. This scene is enough to paint a picture of an unsaid burden that the 24 year old Aliyah has been carrying, even as you are introduced to the other protagonist Ashwin, a 52 year old ex-employee of the Suicide Prevention Center who finds himself at the other end of the spectrum.

I liked how Aditya Kripalani has dealt with the politics around the religion, almost as an underlying layer. Contrary to what is portrayed in the media, the only ‘religion’ prevailing is that of Humanity which is beautifully showcased through the two protagonists of varied fates, yet tied together by the chains of depression, even though they aren’t yet on the same levels of it. The tensions emerging after the first phone call by Ashwin was palpable given that it was also Aliyah’s first day at work, and she was a rookee of sorts. This did work as a boon, given that Aliyah wasn’t too familiar with the chain of events used to tackle the situation, almost doing things that she deemed was right to stop Ashwin from committing suicide. This was particularly true because Aliyah did know what it was to carry a burden of pain and wake up each day, and hence the situation for her may have been relatable(of her earlier trying to commit suicide herself perhaps), only to talk Ashwin out of it. On the other hand, Ashwin has seen life a lot more than Aliyah, yet having lost everything to life with respect to his family members, and the simmering pain originating from each one of them, he finds himself on the verge of ‘taking the plunge’ until his training of being ‘savior’ in the Suicide Prevention Squad coaxes him to make that one last phone call, to give life a final chance.

The POVs are effortlessly switched even as conversations brew and you get to know a little more about the two protagonists, not necessarily with respect to pain but also in their quieter heartfelt moments. The tone of the conversation might be pessimistic but there is a silver lining of hope, even as both look to heal their wounds. I also liked how the city of Mumbai acts as an important character, and almost as a third wheel in the setup. The city that essentially never sleeps has a haunting presence of almost swallowing an individual in the realms of the night, even as the flickering street lights act as guardians of hope, particularly with respect to the two individuals.

This film in many ways is also a spiritual successor to the Anurag Kashyap directed film Kennedy(even though Not Today was made earlier), given how Kennedy had ended. The final act of Kennedy would perfectly fit in here, albeit the character of Ashwin who wasn’t a serial killer by any means, but facing a similar trauma with respect to his family(if not a few steps ahead grieviously so). And with respect to that, the final act here is stirring and captures the essence of the core of the drama, that in a moment of madness, people can take extreme steps yet if you sit back and allow the emotions to calm down, then life has strange ways of providing respite too. And should you take the step of making ‘that’ phone call(even if it were for that final time in your head), you will get to meet another stranger who might also need help. As they say, at times strangers are the best forms of help given that they do not have a baggage to judge, while almost being alternate personalities or extensions of you. Just like Ashwin and Aliyah!