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Staring Ankita Parihar and Yash Rajpara

I Am Roshni is a Bollywood 2017 independent film. Set in Madhupur, a small town in India, it tells the story of Roshni Anand, her strict father, insensitive mother, sleazy uncle, asshole boyfriend... and caring brother Raj.

It was released on YouTube after issues with the Censorship Bureau meant that it could not be released commercially.


Tropes

  • Abusive Parents: When their kids are hurt by others, Roshni and Raj's parents punish them for it.
  • After-Action Patch-Up: Roshni helping patch up Raj after his face gets beaten up in a fight.
  • Beard of Evil:
    • The Creepy Uncle has a mustache and a chin tuft.
    • Sachin has Perma-Stubble—not quite Obviously Evil like the uncle, but still sketchy.
    • Pervy shop guy has a mustache.
    • Their father has a mustache.
    • Raj, in contrast, is clean-shaven.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: Roshni and Raj develop an attachment to each other because they're the other's only support in an abusive household. Roshni regards Raj as the one person in her life who she can confide in and cares about her well-being.
  • Beneath the Mask: Roshni is very cheerful and upbeat at school, but in other contexts she completely shuts down.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Raj to Roshni.
    Raj: Whoever has been mean to you shall be dealt with evenly.
  • Blackmail: Raj and Roshni catch their their uncle's threats on tape and threaten to release it if he doesn't do as they say. After Roshni's death, Raj releases it anyways in his rage and pain.
  • Brother–Sister Incest: Roshni and Raj. He's been away at boarding school for years, during which time their mother says they had no connection. While it's not Surprise Incest, it's easy to imagine the distance created some newness between them.
  • Cassandra Truth: When Roshni tells her mother that she's being sexually abused by her uncle—her mother's brother—her mother furiously doesn't believe her... or at least claims not to not believe her. It's implied that she actually does—or at least maybe does—but doesn't want to face it. Her mother is finally forced to accept the truth when Raj releases the tape of their uncle threatening Roshni.
  • Creepy Uncle: The first crack we see in Roshni's Genki Girl personality is when her mother says that they're going to visit her uncle that evening. Roshni tries to get out of going, and when her mother says no, she turns quiet and withdrawn. Later when Roshni goes to the bathroom to wash her hands, her uncle arrives after her in a Jump Scare. It's revealed he's been molesting her.
  • Date Rape Averted: Raj for Roshni against Sachin.
  • Disowned Parent: Implied in the end. Raj makes it clear in his goodbye letter that his parents bear a lot of responsibility for Roshni's ordeal, and they shouldn't bother looking for him.
  • Driven to Suicide: Roshni's parents find out she's pregnant, and plan to deal with the situation by making her get an abortion and an arranged marriage. She kills herself before they can do that to her.
  • Falling-in-Love Montage: Raj and Roshni take walks around the countryside and fall in love while the song "Chal Chale" plays.
  • Flames of Love: On Diwali, Roshni and Raj playing with sparklers together and flirt.
  • Hates Being Touched: Roshni has trouble with being touched—hand holding, kissing—because she was sexually abused by her uncle. This causes trouble for her and her boyfriend Sachin.
  • Imagine Spot: Raj goes and looks at an apartment in Mumbai, a place where he and Roshni would live together. He imagines Roshni there with him, goofing off.
  • In Touch with His Feminine Side: Raj wants to be a chef. His father is not pleased with this. At one point, Raj makes a delicious meal for dinner, and his father praises when he thinks his wife made it, but then flips out when he learns his son cooked it.
  • Irony: When Raj comes home, their mother says that the two siblings will share a room until they can move into a larger house. She mentions it will be good for them, because they haven't seen each other in a long time and they should be close.
  • Meaningful Name: Roshni, whose name means "light".
  • My God, What Have I Done?: After Roshni's suicide, the reveal of her uncle molesting her, and Raj leaving home for good, the parents realize they lost both of their children forever, and it's all their fault.
  • Token Good Teammate: Raj and Roshni's aunt and cousin appear to be the only family members they get along with. Both of them waste no time ripping into and possibly cutting ties with the uncle after Raj reveals how he hurt Roshni, and the cousin even tearfully hugs Raj, which he accepts.

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