Chai

Chai is a film that consists of a series of montages, depicting the lives of four different people engaged in the process of making tea. Each character represents a unique perspective: a ten-year-old boy selling tea at the Gateway of India in Bombay, an eighteen-year-old girl operating her own tea shop in a mid-level town, a nineteen-year-old Kashmiri lad working as a barista, and an eighty-year-old man running a tea shop at a busy bus stand in Kerala.

This film offers a glimpse into the cultural significance of tea in India, as well as the personal stories of those who serve it. The varied settings from urban to rural India highlight the diverse experiences surrounding this beloved beverage. Collectors of films that focus on cultural narratives may find this film particularly appealing due to its exploration of everyday life through the lens of a common ritual.