Modern love, as imagined by novels and films, is often overleveraged on the meet-cute — the serendipitous first contact, the witty banter, the anxious, tentative choreography of first impressions. But the second date, where desire must come to terms with reality, is often treated as an afterthought. Yet it is here, in the aftermath of initial attraction, that the stakes truly begin to emerge, as people begin the slow, steady work of revealing who they truly are. The second date is where the fantasy either gives way to honesty or dissolves under the weight of insurmountable incompatibility. Popular storytelling rarely lingers in this discomfort. It remains infatuated with beginnings, avoiding the more difficult, less cinematic labour of getting to know a person. Divyanshu Asopa’s directorial debut, ‘Halves’, is a short film that occupies precisely this liminal space.

As Raghu (Keith Anthony Sequeira) and Trisha (Kaveri Seth) go on their second date, they talk about the politics of sea links and flyovers, Indian urbanites’ obsession with new cafés, the hypocrisy of the creative economy, and their past relationships. Their conversations take place in the back seat of a taxi, inside a café, in the bylanes of what ostensibly resembles an urban village like Matharpacady, and on a park bench somewhere in the heart of Mumbai.

Through these meandering conversations, Asopa reveals how starkly different these individuals are: Raghu is opinionated, “old-fashioned”, someone who believes in switching off his phone on a date, and likes his coffee without sugar. Trisha, on the other hand, is pragmatic, open to differences, and takes her coffee with a cube of sugar. Raghu is a writer who hosts workshops for corporate clients to “liberate their souls”. He loves old towns and European architecture, and he hates people who take photographs at concerts. Trisha understands why Indian cities prioritise functional, affordable housing and trade efficiency over aesthetics. She carries a camera in her bag and doesn’t shy away from a confrontation. She’s a therapist. They are both navigating the respective fallouts of their previous relationships and their first date.

Sequeira and Seth are a delight to watch as almost lovers testing the waters. Their easy, effortless on-screen chemistry sells this conversational, slice-of-life story about two people who first met the night before, went to a concert, went home together, and are weighing the consequences of their first date the morning after. They reminded me of the joy of watching Jessey (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) in Richard Linklater’s ‘Before Sunrise’ for the very first time and rooting for them as they explore Vienna and each other over the course of a single night. But while Linklater was focused on the anxiety and the optimism of the first encounter, the endless hope and possibilities that come with meeting someone new for the very first time, Asopa is concerned with what comes after. It’s the kind of intimate, thoughtful romance which has been missing from Bollywood screens for a while. The fact that this is Asopa’s first short film makes me hopeful about what we can expect from him in the future.

For now, however, he has created something hypnotic and intimate with ‘Halves’: an unglamorous, necessary portrait of two people trying, however tentatively, to talk and connect despite their differences — whether they will succeed or not is entirely beside the point.

‘Halves’ is now streaming on BookMyShow.

Follow @divyanshuasopa on Instagram.

If you enjoyed reading this, here’s more from Homegrown:

Scenes From A Situationship: Vaibhav Munjal Captures A Nonlinear Portrait Of Modern Love

When Love Meets Ego: The Existential Spiral of ‘The Coolest Person In The World’

Short Film ‘Criteria Kya Hai?’ Explores The Inherited Values That Define Our Relationships