Colours of Innocence

10-year-old Gopal lives with the younger brother Chottu and his parents in a Bengali town. Although they come from poor circumstances, the family has achieved certain economic stability through the father’s job. But the two boys’ protected life suddenly comes apart when their father is tied to the bed after a serious traffic accident and has to be nursed by his wife. In order to save the family from dying of starvation, Gopal is to help out in a friend’s shop although he would rather go to school. The circumstances eventually force Gopal to take over the role of the breadwinner. He therefore works for rich families, sells laboriously plucked wild spinach and picked fruit in the weekly market. Chottu helps him. But while Gopal recognises the seriousness of their situation, Chottu prefers escaping into fantasies and dreams of tasting the sweet fruits of the Palmyra palms owned by the respected citizen grandmother Lakshmi.