‘Tabula Rasa’ is marked by a very singular voice when it comes to storytelling. The story it shares is pronounced in the title itself, the idea of a blank slate. However, what goes on the slate makes all the difference. 

A family of four battles financial instability, and the tribulations that follow in its wake. Amidst it all, the sound of a television set remains a constant companion for the children as well as their disgruntled father. The mindless, mute consumption of everything that it offers influences their lives in an unalterable and irreversible manner. 

The film, thus, also offers social commentary and the many ways society can be molded by the lies and illusions we are peddled on screen and in media. Violence, accidents, loss, and tragedy become inadvertent components of this reality, and the film presents a competent endeavor to explore the same.

Tabula Rasa  | Short Film of the Month

At first glance, Bittu is confident, endearing, and entertaining. The viewer is already taken by her from the get-go which is why even though her reality is revealed to be quite different from this, we do not stop rooting for her. If at all, our support becomes firmer. 

The protagonist has a stammer, a characteristic that costs her greatly within the arranged marriage market. The narrative does an efficient job of portraying her battles in a film that remains consistent with the effervescence it had opened with, irrespective of the change of tonality, as well as the core of the subject matter, which has become darker and heavier by now. It does not weigh itself down with melodrama and, in the process, manages to communicate an entire spectrum of emotions with ease. 


The film becomes a beautiful exploration of the many nuances and dynamics that form Bittu’s life and familial relationships, including an ever-loving father, a concerned mother, and an unexpected knock of love at the doorstep. The chemistry between the actors aids the endeavor further, ensuring that the end result delivers on its promises of presenting romance, drama, and some more, to the viewer.

Bittu | Short Film of the Month

The metaphor of sound and its related processes - hearing, communicating, listening, comprehending and accepting - all of them together constitute the central metaphor of the narrative. The absence of these processes, the act of being able to hear each other, presents to the viewer the story of Vijay and his family. His father lives with a disability, thereby leaving the onus of fending for the family on his wife and the eldest son. 

Vijay’s younger brother, Varun, has withdrawn into his own little world, away from the many tribulations that his mother and sibling deal with on a daily basis. Vijay too leads a double life his family has no idea about. The narrative weaves all these elements together seamlessly, offering a poignant story of a broken household where each character inhabits their own realm. The performances further bolster this reality, as does the writing. 
 
Vijay’s vulnerabilities, hopes, and dreams, as well as his mother’s quiet suffering, alongside his father’s rage at an existence that has confined him to a life of immobility, are all shared in a skilled manner. The film loosens a little towards the conclusion, especially after presenting a potentially powerful climax, but that’s a wrinkle that can be overlooked in favor of everything else the plot offers.

Vakh Vakh Sansaar  | Short Film of the Month

The film packs a powerful, pertinent comment in its conciseness. The entirety of the narrative unfolds within the confines of a single conversation. Three men discuss the sexual assault and violence inflicted on women. One of the characters mentions how more and more of these cases are being brought to light, only to be dismissed by another, saying that of course women who step out of the house and dress in a certain way, deserve what is coming their way. 

The most crucial character, however, in this entire development becomes the fourth man, the quiet listener who does not participate directly. In a notable, controlled, and skilled manner, the film thus presents a crucial commentary on sexism, misogyny, and the extremely damaging and rampant forces of patriarchy wreaking havoc on society.

Soch  | Short Film of the Month

A man has gone all the way from Delhi to Guwahati in search of something. As he arrives at his destination, he soon finds out that what he thought he wanted, the desire that got him to this point, is quite different from what he needs, in order to move forward in life. 

All of these ideas are explored in a quiet manner by the narrative. Weaved with ease and calm, the story introduces us to an unsure boy who is about to have his first sexual encounter ever, with a sex worker. The conversation between the two, in the process, becomes a coming-of-age moment for the smiling, simple-hearted protagonist, a moment that is much bigger and more significant than the sexual experience itself. 

The character of the sex worker is beautifully done as well - a smart, intelligent woman with agency, and someone who is in control of her life. The two characters, having come together in an unlikely fashion, soon find a space of shared comfort, in an even more unlikely fashion, as the film is taken home seamlessly.

Ode to the Nameless | Short Film of the Month

Wearing a tie that tips the hat to some iconic cartoon characters, which also serve as the film's namesake, a man has arrived for what is potentially the most important interview of his life. Under the garb of giving an interview for a job, he plans to pitch his tech start-up to a possible investor. It is precisely this moment which offers the crux of the narrative, and its journey till here is indeed a beautifully involving and engaging one. 

Rajeev, a man of passion and eccentricites, is struggling to get his start-up running on its feet. Despite the financial troubles that engulf his family of a loving, supportive, but worried wife, Keerti, and daughter, Arushi, he is unable to give up hope just yet on his dream project. 

The film brings this reality to life in a deeply sincere manner. The end result is marked by seamless writing and equally crucial and smooth performances that ensure you remain invested in the fate of the protagonist, as well as the narratorial progression, all along.

Looney | Short Film of the Month

‘Salwate’ (wrinkles/creases) is an endearing, entertaining film about one morning in the life of the protagonist, Jeetesh. He is a disciplined, cheerful man who shares a loving, playful relationship with his mother. <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZBdAYxsh.jpg"/> 

On the day the film opens, he is about to head out for an important job interview. However, when he begins to get ready and iron his clothes for the same, he realizes that the iron is broken, and that no ironing shop would be open this early in the day to complete the task. <img src="https://i.imgur.com/poce03Lh.jpg"/> 

As Jeetesh moves from one failed attempt to another, to make it in time for the interview, the narrative comes into its own. The performances and writing, both complement each other, and eventually take the film home in a balanced manner. <img src="https://i.imgur.com/wundpu3h.jpg"/> The viewer cannot help, but be deeply invested in the fate of the protagonist who takes upon all challenges in his life, big or small, with a winning smile.

Salwate | Short Film of the Month

‘Together’ is a quiet story which is nevertheless marked by a powerful and empathic voice. Munmun, a single parent and thus, the sole earner of her family, is a domestic help who is out of work because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Without making it explicit, the film presents the dire financial straits of the protagonist who has not made rent in two months. 

Consequently, one day when an opportunity knocks on the door, living for a week at the house of an unwell couple, she is quick to take it, leaving her two young children by themselves at home. The lady of the house, taking care of her Covid-stricken husband, is cold and unkind in her approach to the hardworking Munmun. 

Along with the many difficulties which the pandemic presented to people across the spectrum, both the privileged and otherwise, the film also offers a trajectory of kindness, from standoffishness to concern to an eventual softening of the heart. However, the question intrinsic to the narrative remains that when this kindness finally arrives, would it be enough, and would it be in time?

Together | Short Film of the Month

‘Gray’ is a beautifully controlled conversation on consent, relationships, blurred boundaries of intimacy, with all of them tied with an implicit, but also impactful question - are they truly blurred enough to be ignored? The title presents the idea of a lack of distinct categories, but as the story progresses, it asserts that while it is easy to dismiss neatly drawn black and white lines as gray, to eschew accountability, and instead adopt wilful blindness, things are much more clearly defined in moments of intimacy. And thus, after having established its premise, begins the film’s forward motion towards the same conclusion. 

Now, the premise in itself can very easily fall in the trap of threadbare storytelling, or lacking much-needed nuance, or devolve into emotional melodrama. However, the aforementioned control, the writing, and needless to say, the strong performances, all ensure that the film achieves its goal seamlessly. 

Along with it, there is also a subtle mention of the rampant pervasiveness of sexual assault or more aggressive ignoring of boundaries when it comes to the female experience, that further leads to the normalization of what is offhandedly touted as the “gray” territory, when indeed it is very starkly black.

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