Illustration/Uday Mohite

So, like a million other people in this world, I saw Dunkirk. I'll admit I didn't understand the movie. I saw it again and am embarrassed to confirm that I still didn't 'get' it. It's not like the film was in Swahili with Lithuanian subtitles. Or it's some fantastical story. This is a tale based on historical war fact. It is a series of boats capsizing, soldiers falling into water, fighter planes firing at each other, with a few words of dialogue thrown in. But, still, I was bemused. Please understand, dear reader, that my inability to comprehend Shri Nolan's latest offering isn't like say, my difficulty in following fare like Jab Harry met Sejal. I mean: