“Onisyra” is a made-up word.
So why is it the name of this blog?
Well, it is derived from the word “onism,” itself made up by author John Koenig (the man behind The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows). As explained on the website: “Onism is a kind of monism—your life is indeed limited to a single reality by virtue of being restricted to a single body—but something is clearly missing. Pronounced ‘oh-niz-uhm.'”
Throughout various points in my life, I have strongly felt that only movies could help me cope with this feeling of “onism.”
Amidst this emotional whirlwind, another thought really bothered me: why isn’t Indian cinema talked about more?
Of course, mainstream Bollywood films are marketed well and appeal to a wide variety of people, but what about the filmmakers who may not have had the budget — but did have the chutzpah to tell a great story?
Why is no one talking about soft Indian romance films and gripping thrillers that leave you on the edge of your seat?
No, I didn’t think it was fair that gems of Indian cinema were being left out of the online discourse. These films — some avant-garde, some experimental, and some innocent — all shaped generations of Indian directors and cinematographers and musicians and actors.
And I want more people to know about them.
So, this blog is my love letter to those amazing Indian movies that have helped me cope with existential crisis and sparked a new love for cinema in me.