The Stranger

In rural Bangladesh, young Kajal struggles with their gender identity while living with their mother Kohinoor and terminally ill grandmother. The sudden return of Kajal’s long-absent father, Javed, disrupts the fragile household, creating conflict between him and Kohinoor. Tensions deepen as Javed disapproves of Kajal’s cross-dressing and demands they be sent to boarding school, prompting Kajal to run away. Found ill but later recovering, Kajal learns Javed has left again, leaving only a bicycle as a parting gift. With their grandmother near death and their mother overwhelmed, Kajal defiantly pedals through the open fields wearing red lipstick—embracing a new chapter of self-discovery.

• coming of age
• cross dressing
• gender identity