On a chilly morning in Delhi, 12-year-old Gulzar escorts his visually impaired father Shaifuddin to the hospital, dreaming of becoming a doctor. The sky this cold morning is pitch blue.

Gulzar Saab has not directed a film since Hu Tu Tu in 1999 due to his disillusionment with the commercial focus of filmmaking and his experience with violence affecting his art. He praised Tabu's ...