Kajol lives in a rural village with his mother Kahinoor and his ailing grandmother, who suffers from dementia. He has a secret—he enjoys putting on his mother’s clothes and lipstick to play. One day, someone abruptly arrives at his home. It’s Kajol’s father Javed, who is rumored to be living in the city with another family, and he has returned with a parrot. Kajol’s grandmother doesn’t recognize her own son, and a subtle tension envelops the relationship among Kohinoor, Kajol, and Javed. The Stranger is Kajol’s coming-of-age story, as his family slowly comes to understand one another. In the process, Kajol’s changing emotions are expressed in amateurish pen drawings, and the super-imposed sounds allow the audience to imagine the still drawings as moving animation. This unique and endearing approach further enhances the film’s charm. (PARK Sun Young)