'Second Chance': Subhadra Mahajan’s Debut Is an Assured Tale of a Reawakening
Nia (Dheera Johnson) is scared. In the first scene of Subhadra Mahajan’s Second Chance, we hear the protagonist’s voice over a black screen. She’s calling Kabir – her partner, presumably. She’s pregnant, and doesn’t know what to do. “Please call me back when you see this,” she drops him a text, one of the many that have gone unanswered.
The screen comes to life, and she’s in the middle of thick snow. It takes a while for us to register that she’s in some remote corner in Himachal Pradesh. As details trickle down, we learn that Nia comes from a rich Delhi family, who own a holiday home in the hills. Overcome with fear about the pregnancy, Nia flees from the capital. With limited network coverage in the home (near a bedroom window), a silent boyfriend, and seemingly supportive-yet-distant parents, Nia finds her refuge among the caretaker family of the home: Raju (Rajesh Singh), his son Sunny (Kanav Thakur) and mother-in-law Bhemi (Thakri Devi).
Mahajan’s directorial debut is shot in black-and-white by cinematographer Swapnil S. Sonawane, also a producer on the film. Second Chance is a breathtaking film to look at, framing Nia’s initial isolation among snow-capped peaks, as if her world is caving in. The class commentary is not particularly novel here; with Nia refusing Raju and Bhemi’s meticulously prepared meals in the first few days, too consumed by her own grief to be considerate of their labour or the wasted food. As Raju has to step out of town for a court hearing, Nia is left with Bhemi’s caution and Sunny’s unapologetic wonder. It takes a few days for her to warm up to them – but it takes the extreme winter to thaw their differences.
Second Chance could initially appear like it’s unfairly indulging its protagonist, given the sparse dialogue, the focus on Nia’s grief, and the aesthetically-framed black and white frames of her isolation. But then the film slowly tilts towards the environment and her caretakers. An older shepherd, who brings raw wool to Bhemi to be spun into yarn, appears in two superb scenes, presenting the film’s wider eye on the world. “The weather has changed, man’s principles have changed,” he bemoans to Bhemi in one scene. He imparts another gem when Bhemi and Nia visit him, after what appears to be an arduous uphill trek: “Racing is no way to conquer mountain tops,” he notes.
A still from 'Second Chances.'
To Johnson’s credit – Nia is equally believable as wasted youth, but also as something more. After a stomach ache reveals that her initial abortion attempt wasn’t successful, the doctor asks her questions about a possible sexual assault being the cause for the pregnancy. Johnson’s face shrinks, her voice quivers as she confesses – “Meri marzi se hua tha (it happened consensually)." She tries to numb herself with alcohol and cannabis at first, but discovers peace the more she immerses herself into the lives of Bhemi and Sunny.
The eight-year-old boy lost his mother during childbirth. In the midst of all his naughtiness, he doesn’t forget to kiss his mother’s portrait hung in their home. Looking after Nia following her abortion, Bhemi concedes her own secret. The two women both make mental notes of each other’s kindness and discretion.
A still from 'Second Chances.'
A chance visit by a childhood friend reveals that Nia is one of those bratty drifters, responsible for a couple of failed ventures – vegan organic nighties, and vague tea concoctions – which she says were her ideas, but things she was pushed into. We are taken through a journey at the end of which Nia discovers what she wants and is unafraid to communicate it.
With its glacial pacing and its silent, observational style, Subhadra Mahajan’s film is a modest and assured film of a reawakening. In this day and age, where films tend to boast of a scope of cinematic universes, giant problems, global disarray, Second Chance is a relatively contained effort. While an individual’s coming-of-age through trauma and betrayal might seem like a minor undertaking, it’s still undoubtedly a well-made film. By the end, Nia is less scared. Maybe that’s what we need today, a few more people, less scared than they were yesterday.
*Second Chance is playing in theatres.
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