Asraar | Short Film Nominee

Short Film Nominee February 15, 2021

Asraar

By Gaurav Pundeer with 6.5

thriller · Short Films · hindi

The film establishes its premise slowly, introducing you to the struggles of a character with mental health. As he tries to fight off his inherent desire to inflict violence on others, he shares the same battles with his doctor. It is this conversation which further allows the viewer to understand the inner mechanisms of his mind.

The doctor, on the other hand, has a dark past and a secret of his own. Throughout, the narrative drops hints for the attentive viewer to pick up on and comprehend them in the manner they seem fit until the film finally reveals its true intentions. The same revelation draws to mind the words of the Cat from 'Alice in Wonderland', "We are all mad here", further underlining the film's beliefs.

The rest of the action comes to be defined by an elaborate set. The film shows want of better control on the lighting, and also invokes a scene reminiscent of M. Night Shyamalan's 'Split'. Whether the scene is deliberately inspired or an unconscious choice, it conjures similar images in the viewer's mind either way. However, amidst this labyrinth of darkness, what would be the fate of the doctor and his patient?
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