This documentary delves into the intricate tapestry of societal consciousness, birthed from the belief that those who wander without a roof, grappling with the shadows of their minds, deserve prompt treatment and a beacon of hope for a brighter tomorrow. It embarks on a journey through the labyrinth of social context’s impact on mental well-being and malaise, scrutinizing how the pillars of class, gender, race, and age bear weight upon one’s existence. This venture marks an inaugural exploration into the realm of those cast aside by mental anguish and homelessness, shining a light on three pivotal battlegrounds: – The intertwined dance of homelessness with victimhood and mental unrest with victimhood. – The contentious dialogues surrounding what it means to be ‘normal.’ – The quest for hope beyond the confines of ‘home,’ where home transcends its literal meaning to embody a metaphor of belonging and acceptance. But this narrative does more than uncover the psychological and socio-behavioural tribulations of those living on the fringes; it weaves a poignant critique against the so-called socio-cultural ‘hegemony’ of civilization — a force relentless in its quest to erase the existence of these individuals from the fabric of mainstream society, all while employing a poetic lens to challenge our perceptions and stir the depths of our collective conscience.



Director Dr Debjani Halder is a national and international award-winning scholar and filmmaker. She is working as an Associate Professor of Filmmaking in Manipal Institute of Communication, MAHE, Udupi. She has received Fellowship Awards from National Film Archive of India, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, European Excellence Fellowship Awards of Central European University, Budapest, Dr S. Radhakrishnan Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Indian Council of Social Science Research, (Ministry of HRD, and Government of India). Her documentary Documenting Agony Ritwik and The Dark fetched several national and International Awards. Her recent documentary “The Ethos of Darkness” received 69th National Film Awards as Best Science and Technology Film. She is the author of 3 monographs and published almost 30 articles in several National and International journals.






Director’s note: As the director of this documentary, my vision was to delve deep into the lives of those who find themselves at the crossroads of homelessness and mental illness, existing below the socially defined poverty line. Through a poetic and fictional lens, my aim was to explore and raise our collective social awareness about the critical need for timely mental health treatment and a gateway to a better future for individuals facing these challenges. This project is a pioneering effort to shed light on the interlinkage of homelessness, mental illness, and societal victimhood while also inciting discussions around the concept of normalcy and the perennial hope for a home, which here transcends its literal meaning to symbolize a sense of belonging and stability. At the heart of this documentary is an exploration of the human psyche and socio-behavioural patterns of individuals in distress, set against the backdrop of the societal and cultural norms that often marginalize them further from the mainstream. By emphasizing the human right to mental health care and the impact of social contexts like class, gender, race, and age, we explore how these factors contribute to the complex dynamics of mental health and societal belonging. This project critiques the so-called “civilization” and its socio-cultural hegemony that systematically excludes these individuals from the societal fabric, highlighting the urgency for a collective rethinking of our values and responsibilities towards each other. Through this documentary, I invite viewers to engage in a journey of understanding, empathy, and action towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate society.



Direction: Dr. Debjani Halder
Co-direction: Avijit Banerjee
Produced: Dr. Nanda Raj R and Avijit Banerjee
Research and Written: Debjani Halder
Cinematography: Jatla Siddartha
Editing: Animesh Bose
Sound Design & Mixing: Samrat Ray
Foley: Tapas Halder
Poem (Hindi) written: Dwarika Prasad Uniyal
Voice: Vineet KKN Panchi.