My favourite coming-of-age story is Elio and Oliver’s love story from Call Me By Your Name. It’s the kind of movie that makes you feel like you’re falling in love and makes you smile. It makes you fall in love with the characters each time you watch it.

The aspect that stuck with me the most is its atmosphere. The setting of the Italian house and landscape takes place is beautiful. I could almost imagine myself on a warm summer day, sitting beside a river under the shade of a tree. Or playing and socialising in the backyard of that beautiful villa. One of the main themes of the film is feelings, especially positive and unfamiliar ones that come from the deepest reaches of one’s soul. The ending is sad, but believable. (Which is your favourite coming-of-age story... June 20)

Debojit Swarnaker

In Bollywood, it has to be Dil Chahta Hai, Wake Up Sid, Udaan, Rang De Basanti, Lakshya and some more. Among Hollywood movies, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Moonlight, Never Have I Ever and Stranger Things are my favourites.

Debarati Biswas

My favourite coming-of-age story is Little Women. It beautifully captures the pains and joys of adolescence and makes the transition to adulthood. Told from the perspective of four sisters in Civil War era America, Little Women strikes a chord of understanding with young people and makes them feel less alone in navigating their journeys of eventually becoming adults.

Another favourite is The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The film and its literary counterpart follow Charlie, an introverted teenager navigating his first year of high school as he copes with mental illness and a traumatic past. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with seniors Patrick and his step-sister Sam. The film does a wonderful job of capturing the burning highs and sinking lows of being a teenager and the rollercoaster of emotions that come with it.

Rupanjali Samadder

My favourite coming-of-age story is Normal People. The sheer brilliance with which Sally Rooney has carved the picture of small-town youngsters, MarianneandConnell, and how they evolve when they go to college is admirable. The series is well-adapted too. While Connell is popular in school, he struggles to fit in college. Marianne has always been a wallflower in school but finds popularity when she goes off to college. The two lives are inter-connected and their story awakens parts of ourselves we never knew existed before.

Ishani Das

One of my favourite coming-of-age stories is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It sketches the life of a teenager named Charlie who is unable to socialise with people around him due to his tumultuous past. He is introverted and timid by nature but is creative and kind-hearted. Due to his reserved nature, he is often bullied by other boys in his school and pens down various letters addressed to an unknown friend depicting his loneliness. His English teacher acts as one of his greatest strengths, enhancing his skills as well as advising him in challenging times.

However, his life takes an interesting turn when he finds comfort in the company of his seniors Patrick and Sam. He explores the unknown perks of being a teenager and begins to overcome his trauma. Over time he also develops a crush on Sam and acknowledges her for her kindness. Soon his flashbacks return, deteriorating his emotional state. After he recovers, his friends take him on a trip where he feels fresh and alive and concludes with the fact that “we are infinite.” The author maturely discusses typical teenage issues, including mental health, through his vivid style of writing, leaving the reader mesmerised.

Aayman Anwar Ali

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, directed by Ayan Mukerji, is most likely the favourite coming-of-age of our generation. Buddy comedy, coming-of-age drama, travel adventure, marriage extravaganza, familial melodrama and multiple love triangles, it presents a spirited cocktail of life with dreams, ambition, hope, disappointments, fear, family, laughter, music, friendship and love. While Wake Up Sid was more personal, YJHD seems like a chapter that will resonate with everyone. Deepika and Ranbir’s tryst with romance, the denials and acceptance, and the frustration of not being able to live certain moments all over again, are just some of the emotions that are drawn out of everyday scenarios. At its core, it is a simple story of vulnerability and fear of loss. It is one of the best coming-of-age films in Bollywood, wonderfully representing a youthful and restless generation, their concept of romance, their friendships and their challenges. The film is also a travel diary of sorts, allowing the viewer to vicariously visit the scenic mountains of Manali, picturesque Paris or the royal realms of Udaipur. The film can be re-watched multiple times for its philosophy and life lessons which shine through its crisp yet straightforward dialogue.

Roshni Ojha

My favourite coming-of-age story is Little Women. Originally a novel well written by Louisa May Alcott in 1868, this coming-of-age story is adapted for various films and among them the 2019 film has garnered numerous accolades for its all-round excellence. The film is about the four March sisters — Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg — and their journey to womanhood during the American Civil War. Starting with Jo being rejected by an editor for publishing her story, the film advances towards her getting hurt by the critical comments of Bhaer, a professor, for her writing; the complex love triangle between Jo, Laurie and Amy; Beth’s illness and her sudden demise; Meg’s wedding with Laurie’s tutor John; Amy and Laurie getting back together and so on. Jo writes a novel on herself and her three sisters and successfully gains copyright and the film ends with her observing the printing of her book Little Women. The performance by the entire cast is absolutely praiseworthy.

Sikrity Ghosh

My favourite story is Ladybird (2017), directed by Greta Gerwig. It is one the best coming-of-age films and has wonderfully portrayed the contours of adolescence and self-discovery. Through the eyes of Christine, played by an enigmatic Saoirse Ronan, we get an intimate peek at the concept of growing up, the angst of teenage life with its rebellions and the ultimate evolution into a mature human being. Without a hint of affectation, she holds a mirror to every girl in her teenage years. As an adolescent, I could really relate to the mother-daughter relationship woven masterfully by Gerwig. The movie has flawless cinematography and balances delicately between laughter and heartbreak. In the end, I found it to be about what it means to “come of age”. To grow from a child with dreams and aspirations, judgements, fears, compassion and desires to be seen, heard, loved and cared about while also wanting to be trusted and treated with respect.

Adishree Ghosh

My favourite coming-of-age story is Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece Apur Sansar. Following the sudden death of his wife Aparna while giving birth to their son Kajal, a shocked Apu turned recluse by abdicating his fatherly responsibilities. Leaving the child with his maternal grandparents, Apu started to wander to various parts of the country. However, after years, on the prodding of his friend Pulu, Apu decided to return and reunite with his son. After initial hesitation from both sides, gradually they started to bond, inspiring Apu to take charge of Kajal and start the journey of life afresh with renewed vigour and optimism.

Kajal Chatterjee

Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino and based on the book of the same title by Andre Aciman, is my favourite coming-of-age story. It revolves around the life of Elio and Oliver. While Elio is growing up, he discovers romantic feelings for Oliver, his father’s assistant. Elio turns into a flirtatious adolescent while courting Oliver and the latter reciprocates, thus giving wings to their forbidden love story.

Call Me By Your Name is an excellent coming-of-age romantic drama that delves deeper into the adolescent psyche and the rise and fall of relationships and love stories relevant to every growing human being. It also taps deeper into the varied sexual identities and desires a person can have which are not always approved by a conservative society.

Himel Ghosh

My favourite coming-of-age films are The Apu Trilogy consisting of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959). This trilogy directed by Satyajit Ray explores the life of Apu (Apurba Kumar Roy). In Pather Panchali, Apu is born to a poor family in rural Bengal. Apu’s happy, carefree childhood comes to an end with the tragic death of Durga. Their family decides to move to Banaras leaving behind their ancestral dwelling and Durga’s memory. In the second film Aparajito (1956), Apu and his mother return from Benaras after his father’s sudden death. As Apu grows older, he goes to Calcutta to pursue higher studies against the wishes of his mother, leaving her all alone. He grows detached from her and is not able to be by her side when she passes away. In the final film of this trilogy, Apu gets married but his happy conjugal life abruptly ends with the death of his young wife Aparna during childbirth. A grief-stricken Apu abandons his son, throws away the novel he has written and starts considering himself unworthy of a family because they all leave him in the end. However, he realises his responsibility towards his son, comes back to get him and finds a reason to live once again.

Moubani Paul

Stand by Me is an all-time favourite. Director Rob Reiner beautifully portrayed the physical and psychological change during the transitional period from childhood to teenage throughout the movie. The story revolves around four childhood school friends, Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern, who are from different socio-economic backgrounds. They express their secret sorrows and shame to their friends on a road trip. The dream, the uncertain future and the fear of losing their best friends made them thoughtful sometimes. Still, they play pranks and experience a wonderful time with their buddies. This movie upholds the beauty of friendship with a strong and sweet storyline which can attract viewers of all ages.

Sarbani Banerjee

Juno (2007) is at the top of my list. It proves to be a remarkable example of how unplanned/teenage pregnancy can be dealt with in comparison to how society actually looks at it in real life, even to this day. Speaking from the perspective of an Indian audience, Juno is much ahead of its time, with bagfuls of life lessons, quotes, wonderful music and role models of supportive parents any teenager could use during their sprouting years.

Camellia Paul