The Ship of Theseus

I can't help but write the circumstance that led me to watching this movie.

A casual discussion with Dhruva, taking off from a scene in a movie where the protagonist is attending his own funeral, (in a parallel dimension) and now needs to continue to exist as his other being.  

Soon we both see that we're differing on something very fundamental -  what we identify as 'I'. Is it the 'consciousness or soul' that lives through many lives, or is it the 'sum total of my experiences in the present' that give me my identity. And it's in that context that he mentioned 'Ship of Theseus

The film starts with stating the paradox of 'the ship of theseus' - 

"Will the ship remain the same if all its parts were replaced, piece by piece. What would happen if their original parts were gathered up after they were replaced, and used to build a second ship. Which ship, if either, is the Ship of Theseus."

The film is like a thought experiment through three different stories, no context, no personality building, just these situations that take us through questions on Identity, Conviction and Karma. Each with it's paradoxical moments so to say.... each throwing up more questions than answers. 

The acting of each of the protagonists, and the symbolism brought out through the cinematography was brilliant.

The first story is about Aaliya (aida el-kashif) a girl who takes to photography after she goes blind. The camera in place of an eye, and how when she gets back her sight she seems to loose perspective. Was the camera better than her own sight? Are our so called 'limitations' an integral part of our being?

The second story is about Maitreya, a (jain) monk with strong convictions against cruelty to animals and who in fighting a case against pharma companies on their research on animals, refuses treatment when he is critically ill. Questions that get raised in the process. 'If it's about fighting cruelty to animals, is it okay to be violent on oneself"  Neeraj Kabi was powerful.

The final story, a stockbroker who has a kidney replacement, and in the process happens across organ trafficking and his effort at providing justice to the poor laborer from who a kidney is stolen, and in process raises some questions on integrity and the role of money in life.

The common thread is that each of them needs an organ transplant, and through that the film touches 'identity', the quintessence of the Theseus paradox.

Interestingly, the movie ends with a video of a cave exploration, and we see only a shadow with a camera....bringing to mind Plato's 'Allegory of the cave', and how it's all about perspective.

I'd understand if even this review sounds confusing and abstract. Guess it's part of the deal. Questions, conflicts, perspectives.........