“If you want to earn money and raise a family, then perform love songs or film songs. Don’t tread this path. If you want to walk this path, learn to be lonely and hungry.” — Maai, The Disciple

In Chaitanya Tamhane’s second feature The Disciple, the aforementioned words of wisdom from Maestra Sindhubai Jadhav (lovingly referred to as Maai) serve as a guiding light to aspiring classical music vocalist Sharad Nerulkar (Aditya Modak). However, the student’s guru (teacher), Maestro Vinayak Pradhan (Arun Dravid), the disciple of Maai, reminds him that classical vocalists must devote themselves to rigorous practice until the age of 40 before performing in front of an audience. In this long, arduous journey, Maai’s recorded speeches motivate Sharad to persevere on his path and endure all difficulties. But, can unwavering dedication and discipline guarantee success in the field of performing arts if one isn’t sufficiently competent? The Disciple explores this predicament.

At 34 years of age, Tamhane is one of the most prodigious talents to break through into the world of cinema in recent times. His debut film, Court, won the Orizzonti and the Lion of the Future awards at the 71st Venice International Film Festival, which led to a job assisting Alfonso Cuarón during the production of Roma, as part of the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative. The association proved fruitful for Chaitanya, as Cuarón showed interest in The Disciple and came on board as the film’s executive producer. At the 77th Venice International Film Festival the film won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize and the Best Screenplay award.

The richness of Chaitanya’s engaging character study emerges from the inner conflict of the protagonist Sharad, who is torn between natural worldly desires and the inculcated wish to transcend them in pursuit of his goal. This demand to abstain from indulgences germinates from the ascetic teachings of Maai, who emphasizes mind control. Hindustani (Indian) classical music is believed to have been attained by saints and ascetics after thousands of years of rigorous spiritual pursuit. It is considered a gateway to connect with God/Truth. But for even skimming the surface of divinity, one is expected to embark on an eternal quest that requires tremendous sacrifice and surrender. Sharad hopes to elevate his singing into the divine or spiritual realm one day, for which the requisite is a pure and unblemished mind. Inspired by Maai, he pledges himself to asceticism in the hope of freeing his mind of falsehood, greed and impure thoughts.

However, Sharad finds it challenging not to succumb to human frailties. Unable to overcome lust, he masturbates to pornographic material occasionally. He even lies to a colleague by suggesting that he isn’t aware of any elusive recordings of Maai’s speeches, despite possessing them. When angry, Sharad mouths cuss words. The second half of The Disciple leaps forward to a disillusioned Sharad in his mid-30s. Upon seeing less-devoted peers receive adulation and experience success, he becomes envious. The dizzying fame and fortune experienced by aspiring mainstream singers on television shows trigger him into introspection. Can he live up to the lofty ideals of Maai, who claimed to not care for fame or success, but sang only for her guru and God? Ironically, the wisdom of Maai aimed at bringing the mind under control runs in diametrical opposition to the inherent nature of Sharad, which he has been fighting for years. This dialectical approach to living only furthers Sharad’s confusion with time, making his mind restless and instilling seeds of doubt in him.

The Disciple’s narrative stands out for its novelty, but it’s Tamhane’s nuanced writing and direction that takes the cake. He creates a mystical aura around the character of Maai, who is never shown in the film. Each time her distinctive voice permeates the screen — aided by the hypnotic strings of the veena — the visuals slow down. This slow-motion effect lends a spiritual feel to her discourse. One of the most subtle yet interesting aspects of The Disciple is the usage of camera movement in communicating Sharad’s inability to excel. Cinematographer Michal Sobociński always pushes in on Sharad while he performs alongside his guru, but never reaches close enough to single him out in the frame. Even during Sharad’s practice sessions at home in isolation, the camera always sneaks up from behind but never comes in his frontal view. Perhaps, the distant camera is symbolic of the unattainable “reward” that eludes Sharad. Chaitanya’s attention to detail in chronicling the passage of time (and the transition in culture) during the film’s second half is also quite impressive. By teaching classical music in a school, Sharad has been able to slightly upgrade his lifestyle. He has switched from a basic mobile phone to a smartphone. A laptop and a wall-mounted LED TV adorn his house now. But his guru’s one-room house appears mostly unchanged with just a replacement television set. The fridge seen earlier is no longer there. Sharad’s guru seems to have adhered to Maai’s prescription of an ascetic life more than him.