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Loev
An image of Shiv Pandit and Dhruv Ganesh embracing in a bed
Netflix release poster
Directed bySudhanshu Saria
Screenplay bySudhanshu Saria
Produced by
  • Sudhanshu Saria
  • Arfi Lamba
  • Katharina Suckale
  • Jasleen Marwah
Starring
CinematographySherri Kauk
Edited byNitesh Bhatia
Music byTony Kakkar
Production
companies
  • Bombay Berlin Film Productions
  • Four Line Films
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
Running time
92 minutes
CountryIndia
Languages
  • Hindi
  • English
BudgetUS$1 million (approximate)

Loev (pronounced love) is a 2015 Indian romantic drama film written and directed by Sudhanshu Saria. It stars Dhruv Ganesh and Shiv Panditt as two friends who set off to the Western Ghats for a weekend trip and focuses on their complex emotional and sexual relationship. It was Ganesh's final film, as he died from tuberculosis before its release. Loev also features Siddharth Menon and Rishabh Chaddha in supporting roles. The film's title is a deliberate misspelling of the word "love".

Saria wrote Loev's script while he was working on the draft of the unreleased film I Am Here and drew heavily from his personal experiences. It was eventually picked up for production by Arfi Lamba and Katherine Suckale despite Saria's own doubts on its viability. Principal photography took place at Mahabaleshwar, in the Western Ghats in peninsular India, and at Mumbai. The film was shot in the summer of 2014 over the course of sixteen days by the cinematographer Sherri Kauk in 2K resolution. It relied on crowdfunding and cost-cutting measures; its budget was relatively low at US$1 million.

Loev had its world premiere at the 2015 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. It had its North American premiere at the 2016 South By Southwest Film Festival and premiered in India at the 2016 Mumbai International Film Festival. It was released on Netflix on 1 May 2017. The film was well received by critics and audiences during its international premieres at film festivals. Particular praise was given for the script, as well as the performances of Ganesh and Panditt. Commentators were also appreciative of the unconventional and fresh treatment of same-sex relationships in India. The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2016 Tel Aviv International Film Festival.

Plot

[edit]

Sahil (Dhruv Ganesh), a young Mumbai-based musician, plans a weekend getaway to the Western Ghats with his childhood friend, Jai (Shiv Panditt), a successful businessman who lives in New York, but visits Mumbai for a business meeting. The duo drive to Mahabaleshwar overnight and upon arrival decide to visit the local market. While at a music store, Jai is impressed by Sahil's skill as a guitarist and suggests that he pursue a career as a full-time musician.

Throughout their trip, they argue about their past failure to maintain a relationship. Sahil is irked by Jai's increasingly indifferent behaviour and his workaholic nature. Jai, on the other hand, is disgruntled with Sahil's continuous complaints. One night, Jai makes a pass at Sahil, who is initially hesitant but eventually responds to his advances. The next morning, the two visit the Ghats as Sahil had intended. Sahil takes Jai to an overhanging cliff with a scenic view of Mahabaleshwar, where the two kiss. They later return to a hotel in Mumbai for Jai's scheduled business meeting. At the hotel room, the two admit to their mutual attraction, just before Jai has to leave for his meeting. Sahil interrupts the meeting and embarrasses Jai with a romantic gesture witnessed by everyone present. This leads to a confrontation between the two back in the hotel room, during which Sahil accuses Jai of being scared of coming out. Jai counters by blaming Sahil for not reciprocating his affection from the beginning. The two kiss, but when Sahil tries to pull away, Jai rapes him, only to immediately regret it. Jai apologises and tells Sahil that he need not stay any longer if he doesn't want to. Sahil stays, but refrains from conversing with Jai.

As planned, the two meet Alex (Menon), Sahil's boyfriend, who is accompanied by a friend, Junior (Chaddha). The group discuss their lives over supper, which is cut short by an argument between Alex and Sahil over the former's irresponsible behaviour. The four head back to the hotel room to collect Sahil's belongings, as Jai plans to return to New York later that night. Alex notices the guitar and insists that Sahil play for him; Sahil obliges with an original song. Alex dances with Jai, who is completely smitten by Sahil by this point. Alex offers to take back Sahil's belongings and give the two some more time together. When he leaves, Sahil and Jai embrace, but do not talk about the rape.

At the airport, Jai asks Sahil to leave. He rejects Sahil's efforts at reconciliation, and tells him that they can never be together because they have vastly different lives. When they eventually part ways, Jai writes a text message to Sahil saying he loves him but does not send it. Alex arrives at the airport to pick Sahil up, much to his surprise. He tries to make up for his mistakes by offering Sahil a heartfelt apology as the two drive back to their apartment.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]
Shiv Panditt in a white T-shirt and camo jacket, looking away from the camera
Shiv Panditt (pictured, 2017) came across the film's script during a casual meeting with Sudhanshu Saria.

Loev's script was written by Sudhanshu Saria in the United States when he was working on the screenplay of another film, I Am Here.[1] Describing the film as "small, fragile, honest", Saria said that through his endeavours he "tries to capture the silences and the things unsaid in male friendships".[2] He began working on Loev because he was unable to manage funds for I Am Here.[3] At the time of the script's inception, Saria had no plan of making it into a feature film, as he believed that no investors or actors would want to be associated with a film that he thought would be censored or banned in its home country.[2] The narrative of the production, which is set in Saria's hometown, Mumbai, follows many personal experiences that he himself went through, growing up in the Indian hill town of Darjeeling, and later at the Ithaca Arts College, New York.[4][2] The dialogue was written in Hinglish, a macaronic hybrid use of English and South Asian languages.[5][6]

Pre-production work for the film began in February 2014, when Katharina Suckale, Jasleen Marwah, and Arfi Lamba of the Bombay Berlin Film Production showed interest in adapting the script into a full-length feature film.[7][8] Saria said the screenplay was written out of "deep shame and fear" and on completion was not pitched to any investors, but instead put away into a drawer.[4] The script was picked up by Suckale and Lamba, who agreed to co-produce Saria's directorial debut.[4] The film's title is a deliberate misspelling of the word love, though the two are pronounced identically and are essentially synonyms. The misspelling was explained by Saria in an interview with Gaylaxy: "no matter how different love may look like compared to convention, i.e. no matter how it is spelt, it is still love".[9] The Supreme Court of India's December 2013 decision to reinstate Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised same-sex relationships in India, had a major bearing on Saria's work.[10] In the film's official release statement Saria talked about the environment that he worked in, saying "It was in this India [referring to the Supreme Court judgement] that our actors, technicians, investors and supporters came together to make this film, working in absolute secrecy."[10]

The film stars Shiv Panditt and Dhruv Ganesh; the former came across the film's script during a casual meeting with Saria. In an interview with Daily News and Analysis, Panditt discussed the meeting between him and Saria, saying, "he had no desire to cast me, [...] because he thought I do only commercial films. I had to force it out of him. But when I heard it I found it interesting and we decided to do it".[11] Saria called Ganesh for the table read for the protagonist of the film, Sahil, and was greatly impressed by his approach to the character. Ganesh was apprehensive about playing the character, but after initial scepticism he agreed to play the role.[7] Siddharth Menon and Rishabh J. Chaddha play supporting roles in the film.[12] Loev marked the last film role for Ganesh, as he died of tuberculosis in January 2015, while the film was in post-production.[4] The opening credits in the film's final cut honour his memory.[13]

Filming and post-production

[edit]
A scenic view of a river valley in the Western Ghats
Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats, India, was used as the backdrop for the location of the film.

Principal photography began in the summer of 2014 and took place entirely in Mumbai and Mahabaleshwar, a small hilltown in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Western Ghats, in peninsular India.[2][4][14] American Film Institute alumnus Sherri Kauk served as the director of photography for the film. Loev was filmed in a single schedule in a short span of 16 days. Saria said, "We had to plan well, be extremely frugal, count every penny and make sure it all ended up on the screen."[6][15]

With a modest budget of $1 million, the production of Loev was funded partly by the production partners, and by private equity.[7] A crowdfunding campaign was started on the funding portal Indiegogo, raising an amount of approximately US$4,000.[16] In an interview with Manoj Sharma of Pandolin, a digital film magazine, Lamba talked about the struggle of funding the project saying that the investors had backed out at the last-minute at more than one occasion.[17] The film's crew members financed the project from their own salaries to meet the cost of production.[7]

The filming was done discreetly as Saria feared opposition from the local community towards the film's underlying subject of homosexuality.[18] Among the crew members, only a core group were aware of the details of the plot, and to the rest of the crew it was a road trip film, one identical to Dil Chahta Hai (2001). Crew members were left surprised while filming the scene where Panditt kisses Ganesh in the outdoors as most of them were unaware of any romantic involvement between the two characters.[18] Panditt found the rape scene difficult to shoot, because of the emotional weight it carried: "What I did to overcome my revulsion was to not stand judgment over my character Jai's action. I just went with how Jai reacted to the given situation."[19]

The film editing process began in June 2015; the team of editors was headed by Nitesh Bhatia, and Pritam Das was the sound mixer. Sweta Gupta was the film's art director, and the costumes were by Rohit Chaturvedi. Tony Kakkar provided the soundtrack for the film.[20] An original track recorded by Kakkar, entitled "Ek Chaand", was released as part of the official soundtrack for the film.[21] It was released on 4 May 2017, under the label of Desi Music Factory on iTunes.[21] A two-and-a-half-minute preview of the song was released on YouTube in the same month.[22]

Loev's entire editing and sound mixing process was completed on 25 November, after four months of post-production work.[16] With a total runtime of 92 minutes, the film was pitched under the labels of Bombay Berlin Film Productions and Four Line Films.[1][23] Its foreign distribution rights were acquired by Loic Magneron's Wide Management, a Paris-based sales-production-distribution house.[24] The deal was finalised after a meeting between Magneron and Saria at the film's Tallinn premiere.[25] However, the distribution rights were withdrawn when the producers entered into negotiations with Netflix. The worldwide rights of the film were acquired by Netflix in April 2017.[26]

Themes and influences

[edit]

Loev isn't a tale of shantytowns like Slumdog Millionaire and features none of the exotic imagery seen in Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice. Instead it is a drama that explores the contours of love and friendship [...] Their topics of discussion aren't poverty or religion but romantic and professional fulfillment.

Steven Borowiec, The Los Angeles Times[15]
Commentators noted similarities between Loev and Ang Lee's (pictured, 2009) 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

The themes of unrequited love and self-acceptance are central to Loev as noted by such commentators as Aseem Chhabra, Zack Ford, and Subhash K. Jha. They wrote in their reviews that the theme of sexuality takes a backseat to the aforementioned subjects.[27][28][29] Chhabra, a New York-based film writer and director noted that the film beautifully presented an emotional journey of gay characters, who seemed to be comfortable with their identity.[15] Also, as expressed by Saria himself, the film was intended as a "universal story about attraction".[15] He did not want to conform to a single definition for the film or the relationship between two lead characters.[30]

While Vox's Siddharth Naidu thought of the film as politically radical and emotionally raw, Chhabra called it the least bit political in another editorial for Rediff.com.[27][31] This view was shared by the freelance journalist Steven Borowiec, who wrote that the social context of same-sex relationships in India remained "mostly off-screen".[15] Writing for ThinkProgress, Ford also noted that although the socio-political backdrop "is never explicitly mentioned, it's alluded to throughout".[28] Addressing the same issue, Saria said that Loev is not a political film, but the act of making it was a political one. He said, "[W]hat started out as an intellectual act of protest quickly became something else. Love."[10] Jha believed that it marked "a new beginning for cinema on unconstitutional love in India".[29]

While working in the United States, Saria familiarised himself with independent American cinema, which greatly influenced his work.[1] He also listed such directors as the Dardenne brothers, Éric Rohmer and Hrishikesh Mukherjee as influential during his formative years as a filmmaker.[32] Critics and commentators drew parallels between Loev and Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005), with some observing the palpable similarity "in the way the rocky terrain is used to define the theme of forbidden love".[29] The film was also thought to be visually and structurally similar to Andrew Haigh's Weekend (2011), and Wong Kar-wai's Happy Together (1997).[4] Ford thought that despite being a lot more subtle in its portrayal of same-sex affection in comparison to Weekend, Loev was still "quite novel for Bollywood".[28]

Release

[edit]

Loev premiered at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia on 19 November 2015.[1] The film was then screened at various other film festivals across Europe and Asia, including the Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea; the Istanbul International Film Festival, Turkey; the Art Film Festival, Slovakia; and the Transilvania International Film Festival, Romania.[33] It had its North American premiere on 12 March, for the "Visions" section at the 2016 South By SouthWest Film Festival.[34] The Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, the BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival, and the Frameline Film Festival were among the LGBTQ film festivals that featured the production.[33] The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2016 Tel Aviv International Film Festival.[35]

Upon release in India at the "India Gold" segment of the 2016 Mumbai Film Festival, Loev garnered positive response from critics.[18][6] It was also screened at the 2016 International Film Festival of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram.[35] Loev was released on Netflix on 1 May 2017.[36] A new poster was unveiled for the film's Netflix release. Designed by an Indian-based designing house, Pigeon & Co, it featured the two lead actors.[37] Shortly after the film's release, Rajeev Masand hosted Saria on a talk show on News18 and organised a roundtable discussion for the lead actors, Saria, and the film's producers.[38] In May 2017, the film had a special screening in Mumbai, which was attended by the entire cast and crew along with Bollywood personalities such as Richa Chaddha, Kalki Koechlin, Rannvijay Singh, Bejoy Nambiar, Shruti Seth, and Meiyang Chang among others.[39]

Critical reception

[edit]

Domestic

[edit]

Loev received positive response from critics at the Mumbai Film Festival; Manika Verma from the MAMI Young Critics Lab gave a largely positive review calling the film a "breather", and stating that it "doesn't pander and conform to the stereotypes, a trap very easy to fall into."[40] The view was shared by Namrata Joshi of The Hindu, who wrote that the film added a new dimension to gay cinema; she thought the endeavour was "a deceptively simple yet nuanced and heartfelt take on the eternal relationship conundrum."[8] Subhash K. Jha gave the film four stars out of five, defining it not as a gay film but an "unforgettable love story". Applauding the cinematography, direction, and the performances from Ganesh and Panditt, he described the film as one that not only "re-defines love and passion in the context of the Indian reality, it is a new beginning for cinema on unconstitutional love in India."[29] Deepali Singh also praised the film in her review for Daily News and Analysis, with particular emphasis on the cinematography and Ganesh's performance. She thought there were several memorable scenes in the film.[41] Praising the chemistry of the leading cast, Joshi said Panditt was "all solidity and strength", and Ganesh "tenderness and vulnerability".[8]

International

[edit]

A wistful, meandering gay love story, Loev is very unsensational by the standards of LGBT cinema produced elsewhere in the world. But in India, where homosexuality is punishable by law, this gentle film is quietly revolutionary.

Loev garnered praise from critics at many film festivals; commentators were largely laudatory of both the film's sensitive treatment of a homosexuality theme and the performances of the cast.[18][42] Reviewing the film at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Shelagh Rowan-Legg of Screen Anarchy praised the refreshing concept of the film, different from the usual cinema associated with India: "Loev examines the personal and the political, [...] in a sensitive yet open portrait of love and sexuality." Rowan-Legg further called the cast "tailor-made", lauding Panditt in particular and saying, "Pandit perfectly times the slow release of his frustration, [...] is both appalling and believable."[43] Although finding Ganesh to be "a charismatic presence on screen", Screen International's Wendy Ide – otherwise impressed with the cast's performances – stated, "naturalistic acting style notwithstanding, there is something not entirely persuasive about the relationship between Jai and Sahil."[12]

Loev was well received in North America. Its screening was the first time an Indian film was shown at the South by Southwest Film Festival; Brooke Corso of The Macguffin remarked that the beautiful and heartbreaking film shines when "it focuses on what is said when the characters aren't speaking, and what is avoided when they do."[44] Matt Shiverdecker of Austin American-Statesman was largely laudatory of the production at the same event as well, dubbing it as a "small miracle".[45] He praised the film's realism, and attributed its success to the actors and to the beautiful scenery.[45] Siddhant Adlakha of Birth Movies Death called Loev a "minuscule film of miraculous construction" and "a melancholy tale where questions have no easy answers, [...] but one where bliss, even momentary, feels infinite."[46]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient and nominee Result Ref.
2015 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Tridents Award (First Feature) Loev Nominated [8]
2016 Guadalajara International Film Festival Best Feature Film Loev Nominated [47]
Frameline Film Festival Best Feature (Jury) Loev Nominated [48]
AT&T Audience Award Loev Won
SXSW Film Festival Visions (Audience Award) Loev Nominated [49]
Tel Aviv Film Festival Audience Award – Best Feature Loev Won [35]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Loev

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is a Indian romantic written and directed by Sudhanshu Saria in his feature-length debut, centering on two male friends—portrayed by Shiv Pandit as the ambitious Sahil and Dhruv Ganesh as the reflective Kai—whose weekend road trip to the exposes underlying tensions and unspoken affections in their relationship. The narrative unfolds during a excursion from to , where interpersonal conflicts, including issues of and emotional vulnerability, challenge the characters' understanding of intimacy and loyalty. Produced independently under Films, the movie was shot guerrilla-style without official permits to evade potential backlash over its depiction of same-sex attraction in a socially conservative setting. The film premiered internationally at the on November 19, 2015, followed by screenings at festivals such as SXSW and BFI Flare, where it garnered acclaim for its restrained storytelling and avoidance of melodramatic tropes common in depictions of narratives. It holds an 86% approval rating on based on limited reviews, with critics noting its emphasis on ambiguity and realism over explicit sensationalism. Loev bypassed traditional Indian theatrical release due to certification hurdles from the amid prevailing homophobia, instead debuting on on May 1, 2017, marking an early instance of streaming as a platform for domestically sensitive content. Notable for its subtle exploration of male friendship evolving into potential romance without overt resolution, Loev highlights causal dynamics of suppressed desire and power imbalances in relationships, drawing from Saria's personal observations while critiquing superficial urban success. The production faced logistical challenges, including secretive filming to protect cast and crew, underscoring broader institutional biases against non-heteronormative themes in Indian cinema at the time. Despite these obstacles, it contributed to nascent conversations on representation, influencing subsequent independent works by prioritizing emotional authenticity over political posturing.

Production

Development and Pre-Production

Sudhanshu Saria developed the script for Loev following his return to from in 2013, where he had spent seven years working in film development, acquisitions, and distribution. The project originated as a personal response to a professional setback—a failed collaboration on another film—and India's ruling that year recriminalizing homosexuality under of the , which Saria sought to address through a nuanced portrayal of unspoken male intimacy rather than overt or clichés common in global LGBT cinema. Written without initial production expectations, the screenplay adopted a nontraditional structure emphasizing emotional subtlety over plot-driven incidents, spanning just 48 hours between two friends, Jai and Sahil. Pre-production faced significant hurdles due to the film's subject matter in India's conservative , marked by and legal risks under anti-sodomy laws, leading to resistance from potential financiers. The budget remained under $1 million, secured through a combination of , investments, and contributions from producers including personal funds and deferred salaries to build team ownership. Saria's newly founded Four Line Films partnered with Bombay Berlin Film Productions, led by and Katharina Suckale, to handle financing and development. Casting emphasized emotional authenticity over commercial appeal; Shiv Pandit, known from Bollywood, committed despite career risks, drawn to the script's depth and a personal connection with Saria as former boarding schoolmates. Location scouting involved evaluating over 65 resorts in for the road-trip setting, with ambiguous pitches framing the story as a male friendship to secure permits amid potential backlash. These measures reflected broader secrecy to navigate cultural and legal constraints in .

Filming Process

Principal photography for Loev commenced in the summer of 2014 and spanned 16 days, with all shooting conducted on location exclusively in . The production team filmed primary sequences in , capturing urban scenes integral to the narrative's setup, and in the hill station of in the , where much of the road trip and interpersonal drama unfolded amid the region's lush, misty terrain. Due to India's then-enforced of the , which criminalized and carried penalties up to , the entire shoot was executed in to mitigate risks of interference, resource withdrawal, or legal repercussions for depicting same-sex intimacy. Director Sudhanshu Saria deliberately limited knowledge of the film's themes among non-essential crew and locals, framing it externally as a general friendship story to avoid scrutiny. This clandestine approach, while logistically challenging for an independent production funded partly through , ensured completion without disruption. The film was produced by Saria's Four Line Films in partnership with Bombay Berlin Film Produktions, emphasizing a lean crew to maintain discretion and budgetary constraints. focused on natural lighting and handheld techniques to evoke the spontaneity of the protagonists' journey, leveraging Mahabaleshwar's varied —from foggy plateaus to steep valleys—for symbolic depth in outdoor sequences. No studio work was involved, aligning with the film's intimate, location-driven aesthetic.

Post-Production and Secrecy Measures

Following , which wrapped in late 2014, on Loev encompassed and sound mixing over a four-month period. This process was managed discreetly by director Sudhanshu Saria and his team, culminating in a final runtime of 92 minutes. The phase was marked by tragedy when lead actor Dhruv Ganesh, who portrayed Sahil, died of on January 28, 2015, at age 29, shortly after filming concluded but while was underway. Saria described receiving news of Ganesh's sudden illness and passing as a profound shock, influencing the emotional tone of the final cut without altering its dedication to the story. Ganesh's performance remained intact as his final role, with the film proceeding to completion amid this loss. Secrecy measures, initially necessitated during the 16-day guerrilla-style shoot without permits or conventional financing to evade scrutiny over its depiction of male intimacy, extended into due to India's penal code criminalizing at the time. The subject risked jeopardizing collaborators, resources, and distribution if exposed prematurely, prompting the team—including technicians and investors—to operate under strict confidentiality throughout. This veil persisted until the film's world premiere at the in November 2015, shielding it from potential legal or social interference.

Cast and Performances

Principal Cast

Shiv Pandit portrays Jai, a high-powered Wall Street financier who travels to Mumbai for business and reconnects with his old friend Sahil during a weekend getaway in the Western Ghats. Pandit, known for prior roles in films like Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), brings a polished intensity to the character's assertive demeanor. Dhruv Ganesh plays Sahil, a Mumbai-based music grappling with professional frustrations and personal relationship strains, marking Ganesh's final film role before his death from at age 29 during post-production in January 2015. Ganesh's performance captures the emotional restraint central to Sahil's arc. Siddharth Menon depicts , Sahil's carefree boyfriend whose playful yet unreliable nature sparks initial tensions in the story. Menon, in a supporting lead capacity, contrasts the leads' dynamic through his character's lighter presence.

Character Dynamics

The primary character dynamic in Loev centers on the fraught friendship between Jai, a driven financier visiting for business, and his longtime friend Sahil, a struggling producer unhappy in his current relationship. Their interactions blend nostalgic affection with simmering tension, as Jai's assertive demeanor clashes with Sahil's irritability, revealing layers of unspoken attraction during a weekend getaway to the hills. This push-pull is evident in their banter, shared silences, and eventual physical closeness, which underscores mutual emotional dependency without explicit resolution. Sahil's relationship with his boyfriend contrasts sharply, marked by petty arguments over finances and fidelity that expose Sahil's dissatisfaction and emotional volatility. appears sporadically, embodying instability that amplifies Sahil's vulnerability toward Jai, yet the film avoids portraying him merely as an antagonist, instead using the trio's overlaps to highlight relational complexities. Interactions between Sahil and often erupt in frustration, contrasting the restrained intimacy Jai and Sahil navigate, where and hesitation play key roles in their evolving bond. Overall, the dynamics emphasize restraint and miscommunication, with Jai's pursuit of reconnection forcing Sahil to confront repressed feelings, though their friendship's persists amid cultural pressures on male . Physical gestures, like impromptu embraces or a pivotal , serve as breakthroughs in their otherwise verbal , illustrating how intimacy emerges from longstanding familiarity rather than overt declaration.

Synopsis

Narrative Summary

Loev centers on Jai, a high-powered executive visiting for business, who reconnects with his longtime friend Sahil, an aspiring music dissatisfied in his relationship with his boyfriend Alex. Jai proposes turning his brief trip into a spontaneous weekend getaway to the hills of in the , seeking respite from his demanding career marked by fleeting relationships. Sahil, grappling with personal frustrations, agrees, and the two embark on a that unearths layers of their shared history. As they drive through the scenic landscapes, conversations reveal Sahil's emotional turmoil and Jai's guarded demeanor, hinting at unresolved tensions from their past. The isolation of the trip amplifies subtle dynamics, leading to moments of intimacy and conflict that challenge their understanding of friendship and desire. Through restrained interactions, the film explores the complexities of unspoken affection, culminating in a confrontation that forces both men to confront their feelings. Directed by Sudhanshu Saria, the 2015 short feature emphasizes emotional subtlety over explicit narrative resolution, using the natural setting to mirror the characters' internal struggles. The story unfolds non-linearly at times, blending present actions with flashbacks to deepen the portrayal of their bond.

Themes and Analysis

Exploration of Male Intimacy and Repression

Loev delves into the nuanced dynamics of male intimacy through the relationship between Sahil, a non-resident Indian banker, and his longtime friend , during a weekend road trip from to the . The film portrays their bond as layered with unspoken homoerotic tension, manifested in lingering glances, physical proximity, and hesitant touches that escalate from platonic camaraderie to charged encounters, such as a pivotal that underscores repressed longing. Repression emerges as a central motif, rooted in cultural and personal inhibitions that prevent open emotional expression; Sahil's internal conflict is evident in his guilt-ridden withdrawal after initiating intimacy, reflecting broader societal pressures in where homosexuality was criminalized under until 2018, fostering self-censorship even among friends. Director Sudhanshu Saria emphasizes that the narrative avoids explicit labeling, instead highlighting the "superficial nature" of perceived differences in male affection, allowing viewers to interpret the ambiguity as a critique of how repression stifles authentic connection. The film's subtlety in depicting male vulnerability—through silences, unfinished conversations, and symbolic acts like shared or trekking—contrasts with Bollywood's typical bravado, offering a realistic portrayal of how Indian men navigate desire amid expectations of and heteronormativity. Critics have noted this as a study of "repression, guilt, passion and self-articulation," though some LGBTQ festivals rejected it for not being overtly " enough," illustrating tensions between artistic restraint and activist demands for explicit representation. Saria's approach, inspired by personal observations of male friendships, prioritizes emotional realism over , arguing that true intimacy requires confronting unarticulated truths rather than conforming to expectations. This exploration extends to broader themes of and emotional restraint, where Sahil's advances test Kalyan's boundaries, revealing how repression can blur lines between and romance without resolution, mirroring real-world ambiguities in same-sex dynamics under conservative norms. The narrative's refusal to resolve the tension—ending on a note of quiet disconnection—reinforces the causal link between societal stigma and personal isolation, as evidenced by the characters' post-intimacy avoidance, which Saria attributes to ingrained fears of vulnerability. Such portrayal has been praised for its nuance, akin to Andrew Haigh's Weekend, in capturing the "complexity" of fleeting male intimacies without sensationalism. In Loev (2015), directed by Sudhanshu Saria, the theme of emerges prominently through an ambiguous intimate encounter between protagonists Sahil and Jai during their weekend trip to the . Following a heated argument, Jai initiates physical advances that escalate into intercourse despite Sahil's verbal and physical resistance, captured in extended 17-minute takes to mirror real-life complexity. Saria deliberately crafted the scene to evade binary interpretations—such as clear , , or —forcing audiences to grapple with contextual nuances like prior romantic history and emotional undercurrents, as he stated in interviews: "I didn’t want to make a movie where you knew what happened, where you knew who was at fault." This portrayal has sparked debates on within relationships, with some viewers perceiving it as due to the lack of affirmative agreement, while others note the film's refusal to assign victim-perpetrator roles outright. Communication failures underpin the film's relational dynamics, as characters convey desires through subtle cues—body language, silences, and indirect arguments—rather than explicit verbalization. Sahil's irritability and Jai's impulsiveness highlight how unspoken tensions from past intimacies fester without resolution, culminating in the contested scene where boundaries are tested amid poor articulation of needs. Saria emphasized this to reflect life's "greys," avoiding didactic resolutions and instead using minimal to build sexual and emotional tension, as seen in the opening spat between Sahil and his partner that sets a tone of relational opacity. Such restraint in expression underscores broader patterns in the narrative, where professional frustrations and personal histories are hinted at but rarely unpacked directly. Emotional restraint permeates the characters' portrayals, manifesting as internalized repression and guilt that propel the story's organic emotional flow. The film eschews overt physical or verbal affirmations of affection—no kisses or declarations occur—focusing instead on simmering inner turmoil and self-articulation struggles, particularly in India's cultural milieu where same-sex desire faced legal prohibition under Section 377 until 2018. Critics have described this as a "striking study of repression, guilt, passion," with emotions bubbling beneath social surfaces until erupting unpredictably, as in the pivotal intimacy that blends aggression with longing. Saria's direction prioritizes relatable, non-stereotypical leads to evoke authentic emotional investment, portraying how suppressed feelings distort interactions without melodramatic excess. This approach critiques the repercussions of enforced emotional inauthenticity, where "a repressed or frustrated person will always act out," per Saria's observations on homophobia's toll.

Cultural and Environmental Symbolism

The film's primary setting in , a hill station in the , symbolizes an escapist refuge from urban Mumbai's societal pressures, where characters confront repressed desires amid natural isolation. Principal photography occurred entirely in this region during summer 2014, leveraging its misty hills and winding roads to underscore emotional journeys. The rugged terrain, with deep ravines and chasms, mirrors the protagonists' internal turmoil and the forbidden quality of their intimacy, drawing explicit parallels to the symbolic landscapes in that evoke hidden passions. Nature functions as a passive observer to pivotal moments of tension and vulnerability, its lush yet unforgiving environment contrasting the characters' emotional restraint and highlighting the tension between desire and denial. Hiking scenes in the Ghats culminate in quiet revelations, using the landscape's vastness to amplify themes of unarticulated longing. This environmental framing emphasizes causal isolation enabling fleeting authenticity, away from India's legal and cultural prohibitions on under at the time of filming. Culturally, Loev employs the title—pronounced "love" but stylized to evoke Marathi vernacular— to root the in regional Indian linguistic authenticity, distinguishing it from homogenized Bollywood portrayals. The story rejects stereotypical depictions of same-sex relationships prevalent in Indian cinema, such as comedic or tragic exaggerations, instead presenting nuanced middle-class dynamics through conversations reflective of urban India's bilingual reality. This approach symbolizes a dignified reclamation of narratives, prioritizing human complexity over sensationalism amid a hostile socio-legal context. The road trip motif further embodies cultural evasion of norms, transforming a common Indian leisure activity into a for navigating unspoken affections in a conservative society.

Release and Distribution

Festival Circuit and Premieres

Loev made its world premiere at the in on November 19, 2015, competing in the inaugural Tridens First Features Competition sidebar for debut films. The screening marked the film's international debut, highlighting its exploration of unspoken tensions in male friendship amid India's conservative cultural backdrop. Following the Tallinn premiere, the film entered a robust festival circuit, screening at the (SXSW) Film Festival in , in March 2016, where it garnered attention for its subtle narrative style and queer themes rarely depicted in Indian cinema. Additional key screenings included the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, Jeonju International Film Festival in , Frameline International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Inside Out , and the International LGBT Film Festival. These appearances positioned Loev as a critical darling on the global indie circuit, though it faced distribution hurdles in due to its content.

Commercial Challenges in India

Loev faced formidable commercial obstacles in , stemming largely from its unapologetic exploration of male same-sex attraction amid a legal framework that criminalized under of the until its partial decriminalization in 2018. Production occurred covertly to evade potential arrests or shutdowns, as same-sex relations carried penalties of up to , complicating logistics, actor recruitment, and funding from local investors wary of associating with taboo subjects. Director Sudhanshu Saria acknowledged the risk of an outright ban, prioritizing artistic integrity over domestic viability. The production team deliberately circumvented certification by the (CBFC) for theatrical distribution, fearing mandatory edits to explicit content or rejection that could amplify controversy and derail the project. This decision precluded a cinema release, as Indian mandates CBFC approval for public screenings, leaving the film without access to traditional revenue streams. Actor Shiv Pandit, portraying a lead role, highlighted the reluctance to engage the board, citing anticipated hurdles in a conservative regulatory environment. Distributor interest evaporated due to pervasive societal and the film's indie status, with Saria observing that entrenched biases against same-sex narratives rendered theatrical prospects untenable. Absent a domestic in multiplexes, Loev relied on festival circuits, debuting internationally at the on October 15, 2015, before a limited Indian screening at the Mumbai International in 2016. No verifiable figures exist, underscoring its exclusion from commercial theaters. Accessibility improved via digital platforms when Netflix acquired Indian rights, streaming the film from May 1, 2017, which mitigated some barriers but confined reach to subscribers amid subdued promotion to avoid backlash. This path exemplified systemic impediments for indie cinema in , where legal perils, certification rigors, and market aversion often force reliance on global outlets over local profitability.

Global Accessibility and Streaming

Loev achieved significant global accessibility through after facing commercial challenges in , where it received a limited release on November 24, 2016, due to concerns over and market reception for its themes of male intimacy. In April 2017, acquired worldwide streaming rights, enabling availability across its international starting May 1, 2017, which marked the film's first broad exposure beyond circuits. This move circumvented traditional theatrical barriers, allowing viewers in regions like the , , and parts of to stream the film with subtitles, thereby expanding its reach to audiences interested in independent Indian cinema and LGBTQ+ narratives. Post-Netflix, the film's streaming presence diversified to niche platforms catering to specialized genres. As of 2025, it remains accessible on , a global LGBTQ+ streaming service offering the full film with English subtitles for subscribers worldwide. Free ad-supported viewing is available via Plex in select regions, while rental or purchase options exist on Movies for users in countries including the and . Earlier availability on services like JustWatch trackers indicated periodic rotations off major platforms like in specific markets, such as the by late 2017, reflecting the volatility of licensing for indie titles. These options have sustained Loev's international viewership, though access varies by geography and subscription model, with no consistent presence on mainstream services like Prime Video or Disney+ reported.

Reception

International Critical Response

Loev garnered acclaim at international film festivals for its restrained depiction of unspoken homosexual desire within India's conservative cultural and legal framework, where same-sex relations were criminalized under until 2018. Critics highlighted the film's subtlety as a strength, contrasting it with more explicit LGBT cinema from Western contexts, and praised first-time director Sudhanshu Saria's naturalistic approach to emotional repression. At the 2015 and , reviewers noted its revolutionary quietude, with cinematographer Sherri Kauk's visuals of the evoking the characters' internal landscapes. During its 2016 SXSW premiere, the film was lauded for confronting India's punitive stance on —punishable by at the time—through a narrative emphasizing and unarticulated longing, though some found its execution courageous yet unexceptional, suggesting a stronger lurked within the feature-length structure. International outlets appreciated the performances of Shiv Pandit as the assertive Jai and Dhruv Ganesh as the sensitive Sahil, with Ganesh's charisma anchoring the central dynamic despite critiques of its occasional inertness. The film's ambiguous climax and focus on psychological distance were seen as poignant, allowing viewers interpretive freedom amid cultural suppression, though pacing lapses and tonal shifts in the final act drew reservations for diluting dramatic tension. Netflix's 2017 acquisition of worldwide rights underscored the film's festival momentum and thematic resonance, positioning it as a rare Indian entry exploring , intimacy, and fragile emotions without . Critics from outlets like The Film Experience celebrated its ambivalence in character interactions and emphasis on communication failures, deeming it a "wonderful" examination of suppressed romance. Aggregated scores reflected broad approval, with an 86% positive rating from select critics, affirming its value in global cinema discussions despite narrative restraint limiting broader passion. Overall, international response valued Loev's cultural specificity and restraint as virtues, enabling nuanced insight into repression's toll, even as structural critiques highlighted the challenges of translating subtle Indian interpersonal dynamics to wider audiences.

Domestic Indian Perspectives

In India, Loev encountered significant barriers to theatrical distribution owing to the Central Board of Film Certification's scrutiny of homosexual themes under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized consensual same-sex relations until its partial decriminalization on September 6, 2018. The film, completed in 2015, was shot discreetly to evade legal risks, and its absence from cinemas limited mainstream exposure, confining initial domestic discourse to festival circuits and private screenings. This context fostered polarized perspectives: progressive critics lauded its restraint in depicting male intimacy without sensationalism, viewing it as a departure from Bollywood's infrequent, often caricatured portrayals of homosexuality. Its availability on Netflix from May 2017 enabled broader Indian access, bypassing censorial hurdles and prompting discussions on emotional repression and unspoken desires in male friendships, themes resonant with cultural norms of restraint. Outlets like Rediff praised the film's subtlety, noting it as "the kind of complex gay drama that we rarely, if ever, see on the Indian screen," where characters' sexuality emerges incidentally amid relational tensions rather than as overt activism. Similarly, The Hindu highlighted its exploration of male bonding during a Western Ghats road trip, interpreting the protagonists' dynamics as reflective of unarticulated affections stifled by societal expectations. These views contrasted with conservative sentiments, which critiqued the narrative for implicitly endorsing non-heteronormative relations amid prevailing legal and social taboos. Audience responses, gleaned from online forums and user reviews post-streaming, were mixed, with some Indian viewers dismissing it as "boring" and ineffective in shifting attitudes toward LGBTQ themes, citing immature storytelling and pacing issues. Others appreciated its Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar setting for grounding undertones in everyday Indian masculinity, though debates emerged on —particularly a non-consensual advance scene—mirroring broader cultural conversations on boundaries in intimate relationships. The film's niche reception underscored a divide: urban, liberal circles valued its first-principles depiction of internal conflict over explicit advocacy, while wider domestic engagement remained subdued, hampered by pre-2018 stigma and the indie production's evasion of mass-market channels.

Audience Feedback and Cultural Debates

Audience members at festival screenings, including the 2016 , reported strong emotional engagement, with packed houses and visible audience reactions such as choked responses during Q&A sessions. viewers have described the film as poignant and healing, citing its depiction of subtle human emotions in queer Indian contexts as resonant with personal experiences of identity and repression. On platforms like following its 2017 release, select audience commentary highlighted appreciation for the film's avoidance of stereotypical narratives, emphasizing instead internal character conflicts over external drama. Cultural debates surrounding Loev center on its restrained approach to queer representation in pre-2018 India, where homosexuality remained criminalized under of the until the Supreme Court's September 6, 2018, decriminalization ruling. Proponents argue the film's subtlety—eschewing explicit discussions of gay identity or culture—mirrors the enforced silence and in Indian society, fostering self-acceptance without "othering" same-sex affection. Critics, however, contend this muting risks pandering to heterosexual audiences by depoliticizing experiences, potentially burying overt queerness to evade broader societal confrontation. The film ignited discourse on and emotional restraint in male intimacy, portraying ambiguous relationships that challenge viewers to infer unarticulated desires, a rarity in Indian cinema dominated by formulaic humor or tragedy around . This approach has been lauded for highlighting intra-community dynamics, such as class and communication barriers among , rather than solely victimhood narratives. Detractors note the narrative's meandering pace and lack of resolution may frustrate expectations for activist cinema, underscoring tensions between artistic nuance and demands for explicit advocacy in a homophobic . Overall, Loev contributed to pre-decriminalization conversations by modeling dignified love, though its limited theatrical accessibility in —opting for direct-to-streaming—fueled debates on and mainstream integration.

Awards and Accolades

Festival Recognitions

Loev received the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2016 TLVFest - Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, recognizing its appeal among viewers in a competition featuring international entries focused on LGBTQ+ themes. The film was nominated for the Tridens Award for Best Film at the 2015 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, highlighting its debut as a first feature in the Baltic region's premier showcase for emerging cinema. Additionally, it earned a nomination for the Premio Maguey in the Best Feature Film category at the 2016 Guadalajara International Film Festival, an honor given to works advancing queer visibility in Latin American contexts. These recognitions underscore the film's international festival traction despite limited formal jury prizes, with selections at events like SXSW and BFI Flare further amplifying its exposure without additional awards.

Industry Nominations

_Loev received no nominations from major Indian film industry award bodies, such as the Filmfare Awards, International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, or National Film Awards. This lack of recognition aligns with the film's limited theatrical release in India on November 10, 2017, following certification hurdles from the Central Board of Film Certification due to its depiction of same-sex intimacy. Independent queer-themed cinema like Loev often faces barriers to mainstream industry consideration, prioritizing commercial viability over artistic innovation in nomination processes dominated by Bollywood productions. While director Sudhanshu Saria later earned a National Film Award for Best Short Film (Fiction) for Knock Knock Knock in 2021, this accolade pertained to separate work and not Loev itself.

Cultural Context and Impact

Historical Backdrop in

and diverse gender expressions were documented in ancient Indian texts and art without legal prohibition, reflecting a degree of social tolerance prior to colonial influence. The , composed between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE, explicitly describes same-sex acts among men and women as part of recognized sexual practices, categorizing them alongside heterosexual behaviors without moral condemnation. Temple carvings at sites like (circa 950–1050 CE) depict same-sex interactions, while epics such as the feature figures like , born female but identifying as male, illustrating fluid gender roles integrated into mythology and society. The hijra community, recognized as a in historical records, held ritual roles in courts and ceremonies, though often marginalized. British colonial rule imposed criminalization through of the , enacted in 1860 and drafted by Thomas Macaulay in 1837–1838, which prohibited "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" with penalties up to life imprisonment. This provision, modeled on England's Buggery Act of 1533 under , reflected Victorian-era morality rather than indigenous norms, overriding pre-existing cultural accommodations. Post-independence in 1947, the law persisted unchanged, enforcing stigma and enabling police harassment despite limited enforcement against elites. Activism emerged in the late 20th century amid growing awareness, with the first public protests for gay rights occurring on August 11, 1992, outside headquarters. The Naz Foundation filed a public interest litigation in 2001 challenging , leading to the Delhi High Court's 2009 ruling in Naz Foundation v. Government of NCT of Delhi decriminalizing consensual adult same-sex acts as violative of equality rights under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the . However, the Supreme Court reversed this in 2013 via Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation, reinstating criminalization on grounds that only a "miniscule fraction" of the population was affected, a decision criticized for ignoring of broader impact and constitutional protections. By 2015, when films like Loev addressed queer themes, remained in force, constraining open representation and fostering underground queer networks.

Influence on Queer Representation

(2015), directed by Sudhanshu Saria, presented a subdued exploration of unspoken homosexual desire between two male friends during a weekend trip in the Western Ghats, eschewing explicit sexuality or dramatic coming-out narratives common in earlier global queer cinema. The film's focus on emotional restraint, micro-expressions of longing, and the tension of unrequited affection offered a culturally attuned depiction of queer male intimacy in urban India, where overt displays remain socially fraught. This approach contrasted with Bollywood's prior tendency to portray homosexuality through caricature or villainy, as seen in films like My Brother... Nikhil (2005), marking Loev as a pivot toward naturalistic queer storytelling. By premiering at the in 2016 and securing distribution in 2017, Loev expanded access to authentic Indian narratives beyond festival circuits, influencing subsequent indie productions to prioritize dignity and subtlety over sensationalism. Saria emphasized in interviews that the film aimed to represent Indian LGBT life with inherent respect, avoiding reductive stereotypes and fostering a "new era" of dignified cinematic portrayals. This subtlety resonated in academic analyses, which highlight Loev's role in narrativization amid India's pre-2018 legal uncertainties under , encouraging temporal ambiguity in queer expression to evade . Its secretive production due to homosexuality's underscored the risks, yet its release post partial attempts amplified calls for nuanced representation. The film's legacy extends to Saria's continued advocacy, as his production company backed later LGBTQ+ projects like Taps (2023), signaling a ripple effect in fostering queer-led indie cinema in India. Critics noted its departure from Bollywood's heteronormative romance formulas, potentially paving the way for films like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020), though Loev's indie scale limited mainstream permeation. While praised for emotional depth, some reviews critiqued its meandering pace as less assertive than Western LGBT films, reflecting a deliberate cultural conservatism rather than evasion. Overall, Loev contributed to shifting queer representation from marginal mockery to introspective realism, though empirical data on direct audience impact remains anecdotal amid India's conservative media landscape.

Criticisms of Artistic and Social Execution

Critics have noted that Loev's artistic execution suffers from a meandering structure and uneven pacing, which contribute to a sense of cinematic underdevelopment despite its intimate scope. The film's deliberate subtlety and lack of , while intentional to avoid , result in a slow, introspective road trip that some reviewers found bewildering and insufficiently engaging, dropping viewers into events without adequate buildup. This approach, shot in just 16 days on a low budget, prioritizes emotional restraint over dynamic visual or dramatic tension, leading to accusations of amateurish elements in storytelling and performance delivery. On the social front, the film's near-total absence of female characters has drawn criticism for limiting its representational scope, reinforcing a narrow focus on male dynamics at the expense of broader intersections in Indian . Its de-politicized treatment of —eschewing overt activism or confrontation with legal and cultural barriers like —has been faulted for failing to challenge heteronormative oppression directly, potentially undermining its potential to influence public discourse on LGBTQ issues in . Furthermore, a pivotal non-consensual sexual encounter interpreted by some as a scene has been described as unsettling and tonally jarring, clashing with the film's otherwise understated exploration of desire and , and raising questions about its handling of power imbalances in queer relationships. This subtlety, while praised by director Sudhanshu Saria as a departure from didactic cinema, has been critiqued for portraying protagonists as urban, Western-influenced elites, sidelining the experiences of less privileged queer individuals and thus diluting its .

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