The short film packs an endearing, wholesome story of hope and what it truly means to seek something throughout the entirety of your life. Wicket is further notable in the manner in which it employs family members as characters to mark the passage of time for the viewer and delineate a wonderful conversation about straddling dreams and practicalities of life. The protagonist of the film is an ardent admirer of cricket, and dreams of becoming a cricketer himself one day. However, growing up watching the successes of the legends in the field, will he find himself walking a path similar to their's or will he choose one which takes him in a completely different direction? The plot of the film is a sincere attempt to invoke a reality where the two might one day collide.

Wicket | Short Film of the Day

The poetic narrative of the film presents to the viewer an endearing and heartwarming portrayal of a family during the national lockdown in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. While it is a fairly unprecedented time in recent history, Punarnav attempts to draw attention to the silver lining of this dark, dark cloud that has set itself upon us like a shroud. From family members suddenly turning into art connoisseurs to their dedication to Yoga and meditation, the film exhibits it all. The visuals, intelligently angled, are further supplemented by a competent voiceover. All in all, the end product becomes the glimmer of positivity we would all gain from in contemporary times.

Punarnav | Short Film of the Day

The film does a notable job of conjuring an environment of tension right from the word go, involving the viewer deeper and deeper as events begin in unfold in the protagonist's life. When a blind woman finds herself locked inside a house in an empty building, things go downhill at a breakneck speed. Unable to reach out to anyone for help, her fate of entrapment only offers an imminent bleak turn of events to the audience. While the handling of the subject matter exhibits potential, along with a skilled performance by the protagonist, there are a few questions inherent to the narrative whose answers are never provided. For instance why do neighbours, whose manner of addressing suggest intimacy, all empty the building without checking on their blind neighbour who lives by herself, how come days pass by without a concerned friend, albeit in a different city, finding some way to follow up on her, especially when he had last spoken to her in a moment of crisis? The premise also loses point for uniqueness since the subject matter has already found access in mainstream Bollywood. The freshness of it all could have come forth in the execution and portrayal which indeed comes across as a zealous effort, irrespective of the aforementioned concerns.

Ekaki | Short Film Nominee

The offhand manner in which society views mental health by and large is a problem with adverse consequences. For someone who is struggling with issues of this kind, the dismissal of their experience, or making them feel like they are not heard, can be deeply isolating, forcing them further down a darker path. The short film engages with the same concern and introduces the viewer to the struggles of its protagonist. Using metaphors and symbols, it adopts an experimental approach to share the story. In a world that is just beginning to come out of a pandemic, mental health issues had reached staggering levels, thereby further increasing the need for the conversation on the topic. The film does its bit to encourage and further the dialogue.

The Black, the White and the Apple | 2020 Film Challenge

The short film is constituted by smooth visuals and an endearing conversation between a little girl and her grandmother. The child wants to write a letter to India on her birthday, that is, the Independence Day, but finds herself at a loss of words. While the nation battles a pandemic, she is unable to find something to say to the "sad" nation, as she puts it in her own innocent manner. It is at this juncture that the grandmother enters the conversation with a simple, but sweet message for both the child as well as the viewer. While drawing the viewer's attention to the importance of the health guidelines, the film also carries within itself a message of hope and the reminder to not give in in this fight against the coronavirus. All of these messages are tied together within the ambit of the familial space, while also communicating that with each other's love, even the saddest days can be turned around.

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