Bollywood blockbusters tend to feature romance without the kiss. But every now and then a kiss is what is needed to move the story along.
The 2004 film Musafir ("Traveler") a tightly-wound adult crime thriller that is at times confusing, sometimes overtly sexual and violent, and raises a lot of questions that never fully get answered.
But about 50 minutes into the film, Lucky (Anil Kapoor) and Sam (Sameera Reddy) exchange a poetic dialogue in a scene that is unforgettable.
Lucky offers Sam a ride home after her car breaks down. Once home, she realizes she left her keys in her car. Rather than drive back to get her keys, they decide to try to get into the house some other way. He helps her climb up to the second story terrace where she gains entry to the house. When she comes downstairs and opens the door, he is waiting for her.
Lucky: Well, I'll go. (Turns to leave, pauses, turns back.) I offered you a lift to drop you home, but I don't know why ... I don't feel like leaving you.
Sam: Would you like to come in?
Lucky: Sure. (He follows her inside and up the stairs to the main room.)
Sam: Water?
Lucky: Sure. (Sam pours him a glass of water and hands it to him.) Thanks.
Sam: You're welcome. (Sam goes to open the terrace windows. Lucky follows after her. He takes a drink of water.)
Lucky: (Noticing the butterfly tattoo on Sam's right shoulder.) It's beautiful. (He puts the glass down on a table as he continues following her.) It's really beautiful. (Sam opens the right terrace window.) But when you try to get closer to a butterfly it often flies away.
Sam: (Sam opens the left terrace window.) It will neither let you get close nor let you touch it.
Lucky: And you?
Sam: Trying to find an excuse to get closer?
Lucky: No. (He slowly moves closer to her.) To touch. (He continues slowly moving closer to her until their lips meet and they share a long, gentle, passionate kiss.)
The kiss ends suddenly as someone knocks loudly at the door.
The dialogue and the gentleness of the scene stick with you through the rest of the film as each character struggles to understand who they can trust in a situation that grows increasingly threatening.
If you liked this, check out our other posts featuring Dialogues.