Ship of Theseus is a 2012 Indian drama film written and directed by Anand Gandhi, and produced by actor Sohum Shah.
The film explores "questions of identity, justice, beauty, meaning and death through the stories of an experimental photographer, an ailing monk and an enterprising stockbroker", played by Aida El-Kashef, Neeraj Kabi and Sohum Shah, respectively.
[7] Aliya Kamal (Aida El-Kashef) is a visually impaired and celebrated Egyptian photographer in the process of undergoing a cornea transplant that will restore her vision.
Though the surgery is a success and Aliya's vision is restored, she has trouble adjusting to her new found sense of sight and is dissatisfied with her resulting photography.
When he is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, his reluctance towards animal-tested medication is questioned and he must now depend on the people he's been fighting against – a path he refuses to take.
Through the ailing monk and the socially incognizant stockbroker, Gandhi and co-story writer Khushboo Ranka discussed questions of non-violence, altruism and responsibility.
On cinematographer Pankaj Kumar's suggestion, they developed the parallel story of a visually impaired photographer, who struggles with her revived sight following a cornea transplant.
Her reading of the photographer's lines, while auditioning actors for the character of the boyfriend, motivated Gandhi and DP Pankaj Kumar to cast her in the role.
[11] The film was shot over a period of two years on a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV,[13] along with a Redrock Micro rig and a lot of guerilla techniques developed by DP Pankaj Kumar.
[15] To portray the ailing physical condition of Maitreya, Kabi lost close to 17 kilograms (37 pounds) over four months, through a rigorous diet and exercise routine.
Gandhi also collaborated with Budapest-based Sound Designer, Gabor Erdelyi, who had earlier worked on some of Bela Tarr's films, including The Turin Horse.
The DVD has been released as 2-Disc Edition with bonus disc containing features like Interviews, Bloopers, Making, 2 short films by Anand Gandhi, Deleted scenes, Production stills and a Pin-up poster.
[40] Members of the Critics' Circle, UK were invited to select and introduce a screening of "the film that changed their life," to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the organisation.
"[44] Variety wrote, "Indie Indian cinema has finally come of age on the international fest scene, and no film better demonstrates this than Ship of Theseus.
[45] The Globe and Mail called it "an intellectual, contemplative film", and also pointed out "its occasional tendency to take its abstract ideas on the nature of self-identity and wrap them into neat plot twists can mildly disappoint.
"[46] Shubha Shetty-Saha in her five-star review for Mid-Day observed, "Once in a while comes a film like this one, which along with shaking your core, also manages to make you grateful for being a humble part of the audience.
"[49][50] Actor Hugo Weaving said, "Ship of Theseus is an absolutely rare and profound piece of cinema, full of wonder and enlightenment.
"[51][52][53] Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal deemed it, "A rare film that engages your mind, emotions and senses in equal measure providing the viewer a cinematic experience that is both hugely entertaining and stimulating.
"[56][57] Man Booker Prize winning author and political activist Arundhati Roy wrote, "Ship of Theseus is a profound and fearless film.
Go with lots of patience and you shall be rewarded with a 'life' time experience ..."[58] Dibakar Banerjee said, "Ship of Theseus gave me serious doubts about myself as a filmmaker.
"[84] The character Aaliya's visual disability has been described as being central to the idea of the Theseus paradox, wherein one of her parts has been replaced as it was in the mythical ship.
"[88] The monk faced with the dilemma of depending on the very people he is fighting against as a result of his diagnosis, is forced to choose between dying and compromising on his beliefs.
The film also refers to ethical issues brought out by applying the Theseus paradox to human beings, "All the cells in a person’s body regenerate entirely in seven years.
The film also pays homage to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the satirical religion started in reaction to the introduction of teaching creationism in schools.
The T-shirt donned by the character Charvaka in a scene with the monk reads "Pastafarian", an allusion to the followers of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
[95] During the photographer's interview she mentions Patrick Süskind's novel, Perfume and likens her intent with art as being similar to the protagonist from the book "in the quest to capture the essence of everything".
An early trailer of the film played a scene deleted from the final cut, which had the character Vinay (Faraz Khan) read out a quote from Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation.
The monk's chant was written in Prakrit, specifically for the film, in order to lend credibility to the fictitious religion that he follows, inspired from Jainism and Buddhism.