Not Today Review: A Single Conversation Can Save a Life

Aditya Kripalani’s new film, Not Today, opens with Aliah (Rucha Inamdar), a young girl from the traditional Bohra Muslim community in Mumbai, who has secretly joined the Suicide Prevention Centre. On her first day, she receives a call from 53-year-old Ashwin (Harsh Chhaya), who is on a rooftop in Mumbai, on the verge of ending his life. A shaken Aliah is desperate and determined to do anything she can to save a life. 

Aliah pushes Ashwin to open up by sharing her past traumas with him. She starts by recounting how, despite being an atheist, she participated in religious rituals just to fit in with the parents who adopted her from an orphanage at the age of 12. Aliah confesses she was a depressed child at the time of her adoption. The movie focuses on their conversations about their past traumas which they have never shared with anyone. Slowly, they reveal dark secrets and personal vulnerabilities to each other. Ashwin talks to her about his troubled relationship with his father and how he was absent during his father's final days, which still hurts him. 

He also tells Aliah about his past as a successful writer in advertising, a career he once thrived in before alcohol took control of his world. In the process, he lost everything—his wife, his daughter, and the family life he once cherished. The overwhelming guilt of failing the people he loved weighs heavily on his mind. He cannot reverse his past mistakes or reclaim the family that slipped through his fingers, leaving him forever vulnerable, lost and isolated in the big city. This pushed him to end it all and take his own life. 

In a society where reaching out for help is often seen as a sign of weakness, Not Today tells us that it’s a courageous step toward healing. It explores the crucial yet overlooked issues: mental health and suicide prevention. In the history of Indian cinema, suicide prevention and mental health have not been discussed nearly as much as they should be. Movies revolving around mental health have been made, but most of them didn’t do justice to the topic. Not Today explores suicide prevention and mental health with care and empathy.  

Aliah empathises with Ashwin. Viewers can understand how she connects with him because of her past. Before her adoption, Aliah had Tasneem as a mother figure, who loved and supported her. However, one day, Tasneem disappeared from her life, leaving Aliah without a maternal figure. The drama also hints at the effects of mental health issues and suicides on caregivers. There is a moving scene in the film when Aliah tells Ashwin that when she got to know how Tasneem died by suicide, she struggled to remember her face. Aliah and Ashwin both listen to—but don’t judge—each other. 

Ashwin also talks about how he failed as a father because he couldn’t spend time with his daughter. The movie effectively shows how the generational trauma ripples from father to son. Inamdar and Chhaya’s poignant performances make the film deep and authentic. Despite their frequent emotional outbursts, they don’t overact. The atmosphere is gloomy, yet the narrative has a glimmer of optimism. It keeps viewers eagerly anticipating the resolution of Ashwin’s uncertain fate.  

Not Today challenges you to think deeply about mental health and suicide prevention. Through the protagonists’ personal journeys, the film offers a poignant exploration of healing, human connection and the power of empathy. The emotionally charged dialogues are crafted with care. In the end, Kripalani underscores the healing power of a single, empathetic conversation. The movie deals with serious issues that can feel overwhelming, but it also leaves you with a note of hope.