Data from the Elders Helpline that was published earlier this year has revealed that 70% of the elders who reached out to the helpline reported abuse from 2022 to 2025. Filmmaker Shayar Gandhi addresses this important issue in his mid-length film, Paswaar (Caress Me), at this critical juncture. The film follows the bittersweet relationship between Dr Homi, from the Parsi Zoroastrian community, and Lali, his cook and caretaker. It examines the human need for care and love, as well as the suffering resulting from their absence.
Paswaar had its world premiere on October 11 at the Tasveer Film Festival 2025, which holds the unique distinction of being South Asia’s only Oscar-qualifying film festival.
Gandhi spoke to The New Indian Express on why he chose the Parsi community to highlight this universal theme, going for a realistic rather than a pleasing end that is usually accorded to films such as this one, and how his education in architecture helps his craft as a filmmaker.
Excerpts:
Of parental and old-age neglect, the elders know what they are going through. Was it a tricky emotion to handle on screen?
I think the difference between a child and an elderly person is whether they have lived a life. And one commits one's own fair share of follies during a lifetime. Having said that, the elderly are one of the most vulnerable groups, and they need attention and care. When they don't get it, they resort to a lot of manipulation because what else can they do? This is what plays out beautifully in the film. Homi (Arvind Vaidya) is aware of his situation and is quite crafty with the people around him.
When the subject is universal, what made you go for a Parsi character?
I was born and raised in Surat, a town with many Parsis. The theme of the film and the current social conditions of the Parsis were a perfect match.
You show Dr Homi as a lonely person. Why do birthdays still excite him?
Not just any birthday. His birthday, according to the Parsi calendar, excites him. Homi is shown as a person of generational affluence. One can only imagine the fanfare with which his birthday would have been celebrated by his parents when he was a child.
The alarming data on the dwindling Parsi population was not central to the occurrences in Paswaar. What's the intention behind placing that data?
Yes. I have always been aware of the issue, and I am somewhat concerned about it. They are a very smart, enterprising, and culturally rich community, and it pains me that the headcount is so low.
Films such as Paswaar are known to eulogise and sermonise about selfless love. What made you go for the harsh truth that everyone expects a give-and-take?
I believe no one is above the human condition. It is too much to expect, especially from someone like Lali, given her socio-economic background, to be perennially selfless.
When reading out the will in the last scene, there is no ruckus in the family with the Parsi cuisine book going to Lali. Did you want to convey that they care more about the inheritance than their cultural heritage?
Are we doing a spoiler alert here! Lol. But to answer your question, yes, they do care only for inheritance. We all are like that, aren’t we?
I find parallels between Dr Homi and Lali's children. What's your general take on loneliness?
The current generation is soon going to be facing it sooner or later. With the current socio-economic conditions, many millennials across the world will have to deal with loneliness and isolation. Answering the second question, Lali, who comes from a fishing community called the Kharwas, has always faced such situations. The plight of the fishing community, much like that of farmers, is well known.
On the technical side, tell us about your extensive usage of top-angle shots and the lens flare at last.
Now and then, I love to give my audience the power of being able to see things from a distance. The characters seem both close and distant at the same time. It creates the subjective-objective tension. The lens flares are also poetic in the sense that, in the middle of the drama, I like to certainly tease my audience to question the reality of the crafted piece.
How do you incorporate your interest in architecture into filmmaking?
Well, filmmakers tend to have a general interest in everything and a slightly elevated interest in something. This shows in their work. For me, architecture and spaces have the power to do something more visceral. I believe all good films incorporate that.