Lion (2016 film)

Lion is a 2016 film about a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia. Twenty-five years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

Directed by Garth Davis. Written by Luke Davies, based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley with Larry Buttrose.

The search begins. (taglines)

Saroo Brierley

I have to find my family.

Boy

Guddu! Ammi! [calling out Guddu and mother in Hindi: "Guddu!" "Mum!"]
I have to go home. I am lost.

Adult

Do you have any idea what it's like knowing my real brother and mother spending every day of their lives looking for me? Huh? How every day my real brother screams my name? Can you imagine the pain they must be in not knowing where I am?
Where’s Guddu? Where is he?
[on phone] Hi, Mum. I know you’ll be sound asleep. I just want to say that I’m safe. I’m safe, and the questions have been answered. There are no more dead ends. I’ve found my mother, and… she thanks you both for raising me. She understands that you’re my family. She’s… …happy just knowing I’m alive. I’ve found her, but that doesn’t change who you are. I love you, Mum, so much. And you, Dad. And Mantosh.

Dialogue

Little Saroo: Guddoo. kya main bhee aa sakata hoon? [in Hindi: Guddu. Can I come too?]

Guddu: tum bahut chhote ho, tum yah nahin kar sakate. [You're too small, You can't do this.]

Little Saroo: main kuchh bhee utha sakata hoon. [I can lift anything.]

[As little Saroo gets locked himself inside the rail carriage the train pulling miles away]

Little Saroo: [speaking Hindi] Help me! Guddu! Guddu! Help me! Guddu! Someone save me! Guddu! Help me! Guddu!

[Saroo arrives Hobart, Tasmania to meet John and Sue Brierley]

Swarmina: Saroo. [?] This is your mum and dad. Say hello. [in English] Hello, I'm Swarmina.

Saroo Brierley: I'm sorry you couldn't have your own kids.

Sue Brierley: What are you saying?

Saroo Brierley: We... we... weren't blank pages, were we? Like your own would have been. You weren't just adopting us but our past as well. I feel like we're killing you.

Sue Brierley: I could have had kids.

Saroo Brierley: What?

Sue Brierley: We chose not to have kids. We wanted the two of you. That's what we wanted. We wanted the two of you in our lives. That's what we chose. [pause] That's one of the reasons I fell in love with your dad. [pause] Because we both felt as if... the world has enough people in it. Have a child, couldn't guarantee it will make anything better. But to take a child that's suffering like you boys were. Give you a chance in the world. That's something.

[Flashback to Guddu got back to the train station sees Saroo has disappeared]

Guddu: Saroo! Saroo! Saroo!

[Saroo eats Jalebis, a fried Indian desert, that stirs a memory]

Lucy: Saroo? You OK?

Male Dinner Guest: Saroo?

Saroo Brierley: I'm not from Calcutta... I'm lost.

Saroo's mother: Saroo!

[Saroo hears his mother’s voice sounded calling out]

Saroo's mother: Saroo!

[Saroo drinks the beer at the beach when sunset comes dark night and Flashback to Kamla worried sick about her little son was five years old has been gone forever looked everything]

Saroo's mother: Saroo? Saroo!

[Kamla spots at Saroo was a young man has been come home]

Saroo's mother: Sheru?

Saroo Brierley: Ammi?

Man: Guddu is no more. He’s with god.

Saroo Brierley: [on phone] Hi, Mum. I know you’ll be sound asleep. I just want to say that I’m safe. I’m safe, and the questions have been answered. There are no more dead ends. I’ve found my mother, and… she thanks you both for raising me. She understands that you’re my family. She’s… …happy just knowing I’m alive. I’ve found her, but that doesn’t change who you are. I love you, Mum, so much. And you, Dad. And Mantosh.