A Long Way Home

A Long Way Home, directed by Ivan SENJI PT, is a 2014 Australian drama film based on the memoirs of Saroo Brierley. The film revolves around the journey of Saroo Brierley, an Indian migrant worker who, along with his brother and sister, is left alone in a train station by his parents in search of work. The siblings, unaware of what they are doing, board a moving train, and Saroo is separated from his brother and sister in the chaos. At the time of separation, Saroo is just five years old. He manages to board another train headed towards Calcutta but ends up in an orphanage, where he remains for several months before being adopted by an Australian family. Meanwhile, his brother and sister, Guddu and Kamala, remain at risk, struggling to survive in the streets. Years pass, and Saroo grows up in a loving Australian family. However, despite his loving family, the memories of his childhood continue to haunt him. The film is centered around his quest to find his long-lost brother and sister, which becomes an all-consuming journey for him. Saroo begins to use Google Earth to navigate through the cities of India, searching for any resemblance to the places he vaguely remembers from his childhood. Saroo's search for his brother and sister becomes increasingly complex as he tries to cut through the bureaucratic red tape of the Indian adoption process. His attempts are met with skepticism by officials, who refuse to accept his claims of abandonment. They also dismiss his memories of the train station, saying that if he was left there, he would have been taken care of by the railway staff. It is only through his interactions with a compassionate social worker, Lucy Hawley, that Saroo is able to gain some traction in his search for his lost family. At first, Lucy hesitates to help Saroo, citing the potential consequences of pursuing his claim against the adoption system. However, eventually, Lucy becomes an advocate for Saroo's cause and works tirelessly to help him locate his long-lost family. Throughout the film, Saroo's journey is punctuated by flashbacks to his life in the orphanage and with his adoptive family. These scenes allow the audience to understand the complexities of Saroo's emotional state. Despite being loved and cared for by the Brierley family, Saroo feels an overwhelming sense of loss and belonging, which motivates him to continue searching for his long-lost family. The film takes its audience on a journey through the streets of India, exposing them to the harsh realities of child abandonment and the complexities of the adoption system. At the same time, it celebrates the triumph of the human spirit, highlighting the resilience of Saroo and others who have endured unimaginable hardships and still continue to hold onto hope for a better life. As the story unfolds, Saroo's search becomes increasingly urgent, driven by his memories of his parents and siblings. Through his determination and the help of Lucy, Saroo eventually tracks down his long-lost brother, but unfortunately, he discovers that the brother, Guddu, has been dead for a long time. However, the emotional closure comes when Saroo locates his sister Kamala. The film concludes with a heartwarming scene of Saroo, now in his mid-twenties, finally reuniting with his biological sister Kamala in a crowded Indian street. This moment of reunification brings both Saroo and Kamala a sense of closure and peace. The film ends on an uplifting note, highlighting the resilience of human connection and the transformative power of forgiveness.