Film

In Custody

Name: In Custody
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 1994
Cast: Shashi Kapoor, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Neena Gupta, Sushma Seth

Social drama

Ismail Merchant's love letter to dying Urdu poetry, filmed with warmth and mischief. A young lecturer pursues an aging poet for his memoirs, but finds a vain, volatile man more interested in wine and women than legacy. It's a comedy about obsession, a lament for a language, and a celebration of words themselves—tender without being sentimental.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you relish gentle, talky comedies where a stubborn old poet and an earnest young admirer bicker over the right word, and where the arguments matter more than the plot.

Skip it if you want brisk momentum, since this is a leisurely, dialogue-heavy film where the pleasures are in conversation and mood rather than in events pushing forward.

What it asks of you: Settle in for a gentle, unhurried runtime of about two hours, with much of the attention going to long conversations, wordplay and small shifts in mood.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Remains of the Day1993

A butler's lifetime of service unravels in conversation with a housekeeper. Like *In Custody*, it finds profound emotion in restraint and regret, mining dignity from fading men confronting what they've missed.

But Slow, introspective, and deeply English in its emotional reticence. If you want plot momentum, you'll find the rhythm glacial.

Barfi!2012

A silent, joyful love story set in post-colonial India that celebrates language without words. Shares *In Custody*'s affection for Indian culture and its comic generosity with flawed characters.

But The whimsy can feel saccharine to Western audiences. Some will find the tone too light for its darker undertones.

In the Mood for Love2000

Wong Kar-wai's masterpiece about yearning and restraint between two neighbours. Both films prize beauty—of language, of composition—over plot, and mourn what cannot be said or acted upon.

But Glacially paced. If you're impatient with style over story, this will test you severely.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from In Custody

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Man Who Would Be King1975

Both use India and the colonial moment as backdrop for exploring male vanity and the stories men tell themselves about significance and legacy.

John Huston's adventure film about two British con men in colonial India, told by Sean Connery and Michael Caine with roguish charm. A completely different register—sweeping, comedic, grand—but animated by the same question: what makes a man matter?

But A Kiplingesque tale with all the baggage that entails. The politics of representation are dated, and some will rightly find them indefensible.

Guide1965

Vijay Anand's luminous film about a con man and a woman's spiritual awakening. Captures the same portrait of India, the same blend of comedy and melancholy, with magnificent music and moral complexity.

But A product of its era in pacing and melodrama. The print quality varies wildly depending on where you watch it.

Pather Panchali1955

Satyajit Ray's debut is the foundation of modern Indian cinema. Like *In Custody*, it finds profound humanity in ordinary lives and treats its subjects with unsentimental love.

But Black and white, subtitled, and unhurried. It demands patience, and rewards it—but the first thirty minutes test many viewers' commitment.

Monsoon Wedding2001

Mira Nair's chaotic, joyful portrait of a Delhi Punjabi family preparing for a wedding. Celebrates Indian languages, music, and mess with infectious energy and genuine feeling.

But The chaos can feel like overload. Some find it exhaustingly busy when a quieter story might move them more.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge1995

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's romance across Europe and India became the template for modern Bollywood. A warm, funny, generous film that shares *In Custody*'s love of language and cultural identity.

But Three hours. The back half relies on romantic convention. If you're cynical about love stories, the earnestness might feel naïve.

The Namesake2006

Mira Nair again, this time on the immigrant experience and names as destiny. A quieter film than *Monsoon Wedding*, but equally attuned to what we inherit and what we lose in translation.

But Emotionally heavy. The second half is genuinely sad in ways the first doesn't prepare you for.

Rang De Basanti2006

A group of Delhi college friends make a documentary that becomes activism. Spirited, funny, and genuinely angry about corruption. If you loved *In Custody*'s wit and its political undercurrent, this escalates both.

But Three hours and unapologetically earnest. The tonal shift into tragedy alienates viewers who wanted the fun to last.