Asshole

Described by its director Kaushik Mukherjee (Q) as a ‘rap musical’, Bengali film ‘Asshole’ (‘Gandu’ in its original language) is perhaps the most controversial - and arguably the bravest - selection made by this year’s London Film Festival selectors. Focusing on disenchanted Kolkata youths Gandu (Anurata Basu) and Rickshaw (Joyraj Bhattacharya) and featuring explicit language, graphic drug abuse and scenes of hardcore sex, it’s easy to see why an India-wide ban and press walkouts followed initial screenings. However, underneath the moral furore lies a highly transgressive, visually spectacular assault on the senses. A mess from start to finish, ‘Asshole’ nevertheless guarantees a unique ride.