The setting is of a wedding, and the atmosphere festive. However, amidst it, Birju, the brother of the bride, is up to some mischief. The film does not immediately reveal what it is, but it clearly communicates that some sort of a seedy arrangement or exchange is underway. When things go south, however, Birju’s actions have the most devastating consequences on his family. 
By invoking a serpentine image in its title, the narrative makes clear the direction it is headed in. At the level of the story, there is a slight looseness of some developments that comes across, but the overall end result remains direct in the message it wants to convey. The film presents an honest endeavor in portraying all of this for the viewer while building intensity of drama to keep them engaged throughout.

Takshak | Short Film Nominee

While India remains a deeply misogynistic and patriarchal society with a staggering rate of sexual assault and violence against its women, it still continues to police the women themselves instead of looking to change its problematic mindset. The film is a portrayal of the same thought by taking the viewer into an average Indian household where a widowed woman maintains a tight hold on her daughter, while turning a blind eye to the questionable behaviour of her son. The story further draws attention to how sexual crimes are the only of their kind where the victim is asked to stay indoors while the perpetrators are allowed to roam free. The film raises all of these pertinent points and finally leads the viewer to a development that allows the characters to address the problem in their own capacity. It is in this development that the film's primary communication for the audience is also achieved.

Odd Day - New Inning | Short Film Nominee

When Pragati opens, it takes us into a meeting that is being held between men regarding the marriage of a young woman. As the soon-to-be bride’s father finalizes the details, a conflict brewing within the woman is revealed to the viewer. Constantly at unease, she is struggling to get out of the house. She insists that she is not interested in marriage, but rather would continue her studies. 

Amidst the push and pull of all of these forces, a very different and unexpected development also awaits the audience, which subverts everything the plot might have established so far. In the process, the short narrative also does its bit to share a comment about an important social concern.

Pragti | Short Film Nominee

Dhaga is an attempt to talk about the dark reality of sexual harassment and assault of women in a patriarchal world. Men might consider women no more than playthings to be oppressed and brutalised as per their whims; it is the same conversation that the plot wants to add to. Though well-intentioned, its engagement with the primary concerns could have gained from a little more nuance when it comes to the discussion of gender, identity and violence inflicted on female bodies.

saurabh pandey

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