Bollywood has kept pushing the idea that a man and a woman can’t simply share a bond of friendship without romance sneaking in at some point. The moment two people of different sexes start to connect, many assume that romantic interest must be behind it.
But in 8 A.M. Metro, directed by Raj Rachakonda, that old belief is turned on its head and questioned boldly. The film narrates the story of two strangers who meet at a metro station and begin to open up to one another without worrying about being judged or misunderstood.
Sometimes the quietest journeys carry the loudest emotions (Photo: 8 A.M Metro/Studio 99)Usually, when people sit in a metro, they spend the time scrolling through their phones or listening to music, rarely caring about fellow passengers. This movie draws attention to the quiet beauty of human connection and how poetry can express what spoken words often cannot.
What happens in the movie?
The story introduces us to Iravati, a reserved woman with a passion for poetry, though her life as a housewife has suppressed her dreams. When her younger sister’s pregnancy enters its final stage, Iravati is asked to come to Hyderabad to assist.
One major challenge she faces is her deep fear of train travel, which often triggers panic attacks whenever she attempts it. Her husband, Umesh, remains occupied with work, leaving her to make the journey alone. At her sister Riya’s suggestion, Ira tries taking the metro from the hospital but is quickly overwhelmed by panic.
That’s when a stranger, Preetam, steps in to calm her down and later visits a bookstore to learn more about panic attacks. Coincidentally, both of them end up taking the same metro every day, and this daily encounter leads to a friendship that becomes healing for both of them.
The storyline follows how Ira and Preetam support one another’s emotional growth and form a deep bond through shared interests in literature and poetry. Though traditional minds may question the idea of two married individuals bonding this way, the film still presents a deeply touching and poetic relationship.
How does Ira start to open up to Preetam?
The consistent encounters during their metro rides create a sense of familiarity between Ira and Preetam, allowing them to start sharing personal stories. Preetam’s kind and understanding nature makes it easier for Ira to begin confronting her fears around train travel.
As their conversations progress, what used to feel like a stressful journey for Ira gradually becomes manageable. Her fear stems from an incident during her childhood when her father stepped off a train to buy cigarettes.
Though he returned safely in another compartment, the time she spent alone was deeply traumatic and has stayed with her ever since. Preetam gets a clearer picture of Ira’s emotional world when he invites her out for a filter coffee, something she’s quite passionate about.
Preetam, a lover of books, reads one of Ira’s poems hidden in her diary, and that moment strengthens their connection. They bond over shared discussions about poetry, culture, and unique traditions like the Dutch “Lonely Funeral Project.”
Ira, who had always kept her writing and thoughts private, finds in Preetam someone who listens with patience and attention.
How do Preetam and Ira describe their married lives?
Preetam talks about his marriage to Mridula, a Bengali poet who writes in her native language. They have two children together, and from the way he speaks about their bond, it’s clear there’s deep affection between them.
He describes their weekend cooking experiments as a fun tradition in their home, involving both him and the children. Ira listens to these stories with admiration. Although her marriage isn’t full of constant affection and expressions of love, it’s stable.
Umesh has always stood by her, supporting her choices and covering her mistakes when necessary—even when it inconveniences him. While Ira is in Hyderabad, Umesh barely keeps in touch, occupied with his job’s demands.
But as Ira connects more with Preetam, she becomes less conscious of the growing emotional distance between her and Umesh, since Preetam’s presence begins to feel emotionally fulfilling.
Why does Riya lash out at Ira?
There comes a time when Riya is facing intense labor pain but cannot reach Ira because she’s out somewhere with Preetam. When Ira returns, Riya is upset and scolds her for prioritising time with a stranger over her.
However, the emotional outburst isn’t just about the pregnancy stress—it turns out that her husband, Abhiram, has been unfaithful. He told Riya he was on a work trip in the U.S., but he had stayed in India the entire time, having an affair while Riya endured the pregnancy alone.
Even when Ira tries to mediate and offers Abhiram a chance to confess, Riya is unwilling to forgive. She makes it clear that no explanation from him would change the truth she now knows.
What happens on Ira’s birthday?
While they are riding together in the metro again, Preetam realises it’s Ira’s birthday. Although her children remember and call to wish her, Umesh is too preoccupied to acknowledge the day. Preetam then suggests they take a tour around Hyderabad together, treating the idea as his way of celebrating her birthday.
They move through beautiful sites in the city and eventually reach a crematorium—a place Ira had earlier mentioned she wanted to visit. There, Preetam collects an urn and becomes emotional, revealing that it contains the ashes of a close friend he had been meaning to collect for months.
How do Ira and Preetam help each other to find themselves?
Preetam encourages Ira to publish her poetry, reminding her that even if her work doesn’t reach many people, it has already made a difference to him. Ira shares that her father had been the original poet in their family, and before passing, he wrote some final verses for her, entrusting her with that legacy.
On the other hand, Preetam has the chance to step up in his job and become a branch manager, but his social anxiety holds him back. Ira pushes him to talk with a fellow metro commuter who works in IT.
Preetam manages to start a conversation and even finds the man amusing, realising social interaction isn’t as terrible as he’d thought. Their shared moments are about to end, though, as Riya’s delivery draws near.
Why doesn’t Ira get to meet Preetam’s family?
Just before leaving Hyderabad, Ira asks Preetam if she can meet his wife and children, and he agrees. But when she gets to his home the next day, the house is empty. She finds a note from Mridula explaining that they had to rush their pet to the vet.
A metro ride becomes a lifeline for healing and hope (Photo: 8 A.M Metro/Studio 99)Preetam then shows her around the house, and Ira is moved by the warm and artistic environment. Upon returning to the hospital, Ira is surprised to see Umesh waiting there, and Riya covers for her by claiming Ira had been with the neighbours.
Ira questions why Riya lied, and Riya responds that regardless of Preetam’s intentions, the truth would still sound suspicious to a husband. Later, Umesh invites Ira for a coffee before returning home, and during that moment, they reconnect.
He gives her a birthday gift and thanks her for always trying her best for their family. Before she leaves, Ira tells Preetam they will stop communicating, and he accepts, gifting her some toys for her children.
But her heart refuses to let go just yet, and she returns to his house at night, only to find a garland placed on a photograph of Mridula and the children. Preetam arrives and sees that Ira has discovered everything. He’s devastated because he’d hoped she would keep her promise and not return.
He reveals he was planning to take his life the day they met at the metro, but helping her gave him a reason to keep living. He had dreamed of being the perfect husband and father, but believed he fell short. After their passing, meeting Ira became a way for him to construct a different life where he hadn’t failed.
He asks her to go, tearing up the letter she brought with her.
How does Ira become an author?
Following the birth of her baby, Riya decides to take Abhiram back, even though he betrayed her. She chooses the emotional pain for the sake of giving her child a complete family. Ira begins to look for Preetam but finds his house empty—he’s sold it and disappeared.
This leaves Ira heartbroken, as she has lost someone who deeply mattered to her. Months later, Preetam visits the same bookstore where he had gone before, and the owner hands him a copy of a book titled 8 A.M. Metro, written by Ira.
With Umesh’s support, she has also published her father’s poems. As Preetam reads her novel, he realises it’s written as a personal message to him. She references the book Kafka and the Doll by Larissa Theule, explaining how love always finds new forms to return to us, even if we lose someone.
Ira is now content with her family, and through her book, she also helps Preetam rediscover his will to live.
