An unsparing yet inspiring vision of Mumbai through the story of two small-town siblings, each with their own reason for escaping to the big city, in a powerful drama that ponders gender, sexuality, violence, and tolerance.
Fleeing from an island home off the Kerala coast to find elder brother Bhai in Mumbai, Mulla falls prey to a Dickensian cesspool of criminals, sexual predators, and brutalized boys of the streets. Starting off as an adventure drama, the story metamorphoses midway with a gay romance flashback that will resonate in the final act's present-day revelations and action-filled finale. Variety critic Dennis Harvey calls this "eventful story involving lost family connections and Mumbai’s criminal underground ... a handsome, accomplished piece of work [with] strong performances, particularly by the male leads in the flashback." Co-winner of the Sundance Global Filmmaking Award for its script, The Elder One is a gripping and provocative vision from India. – Karel Kohout