‘Pavi’s Fool’, loosely based on Anton Chekov’s short story, ‘A Joke’, is singular in the voice it adopts to share all its intentions. A young woman, the protagonist Pavi, finds herself walking a tightrope between reality and dreams. The same blurring of boundaries endeavors a portrayal in the visual and narratorial progression of the film. 

Through a world of tarot cards and smoke-filled rooms, of strange, unnamed characters, and Pavi’s fixation on a man called Roshan, the realm of the film is conjured. As she struggles with ideas of love, companionship, and what her dreams truly mean, the film offers a skilled and coherent treatment of its ideas. The end result is unique and intriguing, even if the storytelling is a little overpowered by stylistic choices in the communication of all of this.

Pavi's Fool | Short Film Nominee

'Pravasi.jpeg' presents an overlap of two disparate elements - a man robbed of even the basic opportunity to reach home in time during the pandemic, and a young woman who is located within a space of privilege that remains unachievable for the man. 

While the former has walked a long distance to complete his journey and reach home, the latter, a photographer has come seeking to capture some frames for her camera. As the two worlds collide, with their own limited understanding of the other, the narrative is formed. 

There is further the attempt to rope in symbolism and a flight from the reality at hand to invoke a realm where an individual finds himself reduced to a prop of sorts, unable to actively participate in a narrative building he is now at the heart of. It would be interesting to see more engagement with similar thematic concerns by the team, albeit with tighter control on storytelling and execution of the plot.

Pravaasi.jpeg | Short Film Nominee

The short narrative introduces to a character called Aghori. As we go deeper into the plot, we are presented with his fondness for revolutionary songs, intoxicants and similar substances, and debunking conspiracy theories. The story opens on an ambitious note, further offering an experimental approach and a zealous premise - an idea combined with the experiences of its characters while they are intoxicated. In future projects, the team can perhaps gain a little more from a tighter control on the execution of its primary ideas and their potential.

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