When the protagonist, a waged laborer, injures his finger, everything in his life goes for a toss. The narrative does an especially remarkable job to conjure his reality and then share it with the viewer in a calm, poignant fashion. 

Hard-pressed for money, and unaware of the many complex machinations of a world that is ruled and controlled by privilege, more precisely, financial privilege in this case, he is unable to find the help he needs. His movement from one health professional to another with each telling him a different version and treatment of his ailment, all in the face of his laconic, wordless personality, brings to life a crucial story. 

Along with performances, the end result also embellishes itself with notable writing and an insightful grasp of human experience. As for the protagonist, despite the many hardships of his life, the cyclical nature of existence continues, with the inability to break out of the overwhelming impediments that lie in his path.

Pasti | Short Film Nominee

The film is marked by an old world charm. It's physical embodiment is achieved in perhaps the big house inhabited by the protagonist. The visuals of the property itself are capable of invoking in the viewer a wistfulness for the past, maybe constituted by childhood reminisces of small-town houses. The house, however, serves another purpose - one of pronouncing the emotional isolation of the protagonist, more than the physical one. Living alone with only a domestic help as his sole companion, he finds himself preoccupied with memories of an unrequited romance. It is in this manner that the film becomes about love, loss, longing and heartache, but in so many ways also about the overarching patterns of life beyond a romantic relationship, for who can separate these emotions from the universal nature they come to acquire with regards to all of the other travails of life. The film adopts a quiet approach to share its story with the viewer, while being further marked by effortlessly comedic moments which remain beautifully honest in their authenticity, allowing the narrative to convey its intentions in a notably skilled manner.

Aprajita | Short Film of the Day

Two women and two weddings, but only one wedding photographer - this is the premise of Dulhan No. 1. As the brides-to-be fight it out in the photographer's office, the film offers several moments of slapstick humour. It is the wedding season and the film is seemingly a conscious decision to talk about it, but with a twist. It also raises the very essential question in a lighthearted manner - does a grand wedding ensure a happy marriage? It achieves all of this without sounding didactic and preachy, and thus succeeds in using comedic timing in a smooth manner.

Dulhan No. 1 | Ahsaas Channa, Apoorva Arora | Short Film Nominee

The narrative is an engagement with the evils of substance abuse and the extent to which drug addiction can destroy lives. It attempts to pack thrill, suspense and emotional strain within it's short duration of less than twenty minutes. There are also surprises and shocks waiting for the viewer at different turns of the film. The story begins when a man wakes up after a night of all kinds of drug consumption, but primarily of something called Swad. Soon he discovers his flatmate's lifeless body smeared with blood and things start falling flat like a stack of dominoes. The story, the strongest element of the film, aims to confuse the viewer as well as conjure an atmosphere of tension that stays throughout. It also blurs the lines between dreams and reality, further befuddling you about the truth of events that unfold on screen. It manages to convey its message of warning the audience about the adverse and ill-consequences of substance use. A little more time on the edit table, however, would have allowed it to communicate this message better.

Swad: The Drug Riddle | Short Film Nominee

Adopting a humorous tone, and echoing the sentiment of its title, the film reminds the viewer of the importance of staying home in a coronavirus-ridden world. Through the conversation of two of its characters, it further highlights the perils of stepping outside the safety of your house.

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