Synopsis :
Manoj’s (Ajay Devgan) trying journey to Calcutta effortlessly sets the tone of the film; the discerning viewer will immediately become clued in to the fact that a masterful filmmaker is at work. Director Rituparno Ghosh’s focus on the incessant rain, Devgan’s melancholy expression, and Debojyoti Mishra’s hauntingly evocative score effectively conjure more atmosphere and subtext in the first few shots of “Raincoat” than most films are able to invoke in their entire running time.

And all of this is accomplished without dialogue. As with all great filmmakers, Ghosh excels in his ability to show rather than tell. The opening shots gently acclimate audiences so that they may attend to the right details as this gem of a film unfolds; we’re being told to savor the subtext of each shot - to read between the lines, as we will soon be forced to decipher truths by carefully examining lie after lie.

Such an emphasis on subtext is crucial in a complex film like this. The storyline, a towering achievement in originality and inspiration, involves an afternoon encounter between two estranged lovers. The synopsis certainly appears simple, but is actually anything but.

Manoj is desperate - out of a job, in debt, and utterly lost in life. He’s traveling to Calcutta to borrow money old acquaintances in order to start a small business. But that’s not his only motive in visiting the city. He’s also intent on seeing Niru (Aishwarya Rai), his childhood sweetheart. The two parted ways 15 years ago, trading in their idealistic love for practical ends - money, stature, and the like.

When the two finally meet one rainy afternoon, they find each-other mere shadows of their former selves. But in order to maintain appearances and protect their egos, they lie to one another repeatedly - Manoj about a successful career, Niru about marital bliss, and so on. How, as the afternoon continues, the truth finds its way to the forefront of the interactions between Manoj and Niru forms the crux of this delightful romantic drama