The film focuses on macro-societal conditions and class struggle. There are no discernible LGBTQ+ characters or narratives centered on non-cisnormative identities.

Women are depicted as active participants in the struggle for survival within a high-pressure environment. However, the lack of specific character arcs limits intentional gender subversion.

Malle disrupts Western-centric casting by centering the Indian working class. The local population drives the film's energy rather than serving as mere background scenery.

The film critiques Western institutional stability and avoids imposing a singular Western moral compass. It presents a landscape where traditional Western frameworks are rendered ineffective.

The film captures the physical toll of poverty but lacks characters with disabilities as central agents. Hardship is presented as a systemic consequence of the environment.