Jhinge and Bowal are out on a mission - to move up in their life of petty crime and transition into something more meaty...perhaps a murder. As life would have it, they are soon presented with the perfect opportunity - the killing of a lawyer. After spending a few days observing him from afar, the two men get to work (to their best capacity). 

The film engages with all of this, roping in elements of an entertaining buddy film, as well as those of crime, humor, and drama. The chemistry between its characters is effortless, thereby enhancing the final result. The punches, sometimes frivolous and flippant, other times more sustained and deliberate, all land, allowing it to further succeed in sharing its story. 

The storytelling is marked by a comprehensive beginning, middle and end. The shadowy, dim-lit visuals further conjure an adequate image of the world for you. The film loses some points in the department of sound, but this is easy to overlook in the face of the end product, and everything that it eventually offers.

Bondhuk Baaji| Short Film of the Day

The first instance that the viewer encounters in the film is a harmless situation of a mother nagging her son to be more responsible. So far, so good, right? Wrong for this, in no way, prepares you for what is to come, and when it finally does, it takes a moment to realise what truly hit you. The narrative is conceived beautifully, making its writing the most notable aspect of the film, with the visuals at a close second. Before you know it, our two characters have found themselves in a deep mess with little to no escape possible. Moments of humour are tied with elements of crime and drama seamlessly to ensure that you remain at the edge of your seat throughout, completely blindsided by the events that will continue to unfold. There indeed is no rest for the wicked as we learn from the misfortunes of our characters who take us along on this bumpy ride of unexpected violence, the consequent panic and the desperate attempts to find a way out of it. As broken glass bottles become their biggest foe, leading them to terrifying situations, the film covers a long distance between its opening and closing visuals, keeping you involved the whole time.

What The... | Short Film of the Day

The title of the film, Shunyata which translates to 'the void', sets a horizon of expectation for the viewer about the further development of events that would come to define this narrative. It is marked by two of its most noteworthy elements - the story in itself and the stellar performance by Jackie Shroff who brings to the screen a perfect balance of ruggedness and vulnerability. Within its folds, as the film reveals gradually, also lie significant social comments - from callousness and violence on the part of the police, to poverty that drives unsuspecting children into the underbelly of petty crime. It further invokes emotions of guilt, regret and the inability to break out of a murky, bleak existence one may have led oneself to. All of it ensures that the plot develops in a coherent, organic manner. The motivations of the characters are well-explored and convincing, and complete with skilled performances and striking chemistry. While the entirety of the film is marked by its dim-lighting, perhaps to suggest the shadowy world its characters exist in, as well as the unclear territories they grapple with emotionally and internally, the visuals could have still gained from a little more control. Overall, the film, however, remains a sharp and thought-provoking glimpse into a world that exists on the streets marked by visceral violence, crime, drug peddling and mercenaries.

Shunyata | Short Film of the Day

'Randara (Or a Tale of Depraved Scoundrels)' is an eccentric, unpredictable ride that takes us into the life of four men. What starts off with a suggestion of a buddy film, complete with humor, misadventures and colorful characters, soon begins to give way to a more complex plot that is defined by theft, a struggle to survive and a threat of violence never truly leaving the narrative. 
The story is weaved in a manner that holds your attention throughout, further ensuring that you are equally invested in the fate of all the four characters. Consequently, by the time the conclusion fully develops, you are unsure who to route for and who to abandon in their pursuit. Though a few errant shots make it to the final result, the film remains an entertaining watch which, without weighing itself down, brings to life storytelling and performances marked by their notable gravity.

Randara | Short Film Nominee

Crime, love gone sour, mythology, and a battle between demons and gods, all form integral parts of this carefully woven film. The narrative, though mainly confined to a single night and the seediness of its shadows, moves back and forth in time to construct the story of primarily three characters - a police officer, a disgruntled lover, and a man who is overwhelmed with financial tribulations. 

Adding to the intrigue is a fourth character, a woman, Mhalsa, who will come to alter the course of the narrative in an irrevocable, lasting manner. She enters the plot at a crucial juncture with a past that connects her to more than one man, a topic of intense discussion by all the men who surround her. 

The cop regales a nervous waiter with a mythological story that will present the most crucial metaphors of the film, ideas of right and wrong, and how more often than not they get reduced to a grey realm of blurred boundaries. A little distance away from him two friends await their third companion who arrives with a disturbing tale of his own. The two parties remain completely oblivious to the third where the man shares his woes with a confidant. 

Notwithstanding a few rough edges in terms of production, particularly in the department of sound, there is a smoothness with which all of these elements are eventually connected. The duration of the film allows it to spend enough time on each subset of the plot without losing pace. The writing becomes a notable aspect of the film, followed by the edit and performances, all of which together give rise to an engaging end result that displays sincerity and investment of thought.

Neelakanta Bar | Short Film Nominee

‘Karmavinai 2’ opens right in the middle of action, a violent act has already been committed, a man is located in the center of it, and myriad pieces continue to fall one after another. Suffice to say, the viewer’s attention is held by the film right till the very end as loyalties are brought under question in quick succession. 
Kumar has killed his companion and top boss of fifteen years Manikkam, and now Arul is helping him get rid of the body. However, as the plot develops, there are more unexpected, sinister intentions and actions awaiting around the corner. Each of these elements are portrayed and presented to the viewer with competence and seamlessness, allowing both the film and its many components in terms of writing, visuals and performances, to succeed in communicating all that the narrative has set out to say.

Karmavinai 2 | Short Film Nominee

Three men escape a scene of theft, with the cops hot on their trail. However, they soon overcome the circumstance and move forth to the next stage of their job. A world of crime and action is conjured for the viewer, as we get introduced to Akhand, Billi and Charlie. Along with the grunginess that the narrative endeavors to invoke, we are also presented with a story of betrayal, doublecrossing and violence. 
Loyalties are tested in this universe as greed and survival become intertwined. Though the film could gain from a tighter control on its visuals, and therefore, the overall production value, it leaves the viewer with storytelling and narrative building that exhibit deep potential.

Chir | Short Film Nominee

The film brings to life a heist narrative, conjuring elements of surprise, stress, betrayal, and each character trying to outsmart the other. The question that thus becomes central to the story is - who will succeed at this game of deceit and self-serving interests? 

Utkarsh has found himself in a sticky soup, and he now struggles to retrieve a whopping sum of ten crore rupees from a powerful rival. He ropes in the help of his brother-in-law and friend Mahesh to somehow secure the money. Employing a theft of diamonds from a museum, the two come up with a foolproof plan to get their nemesis to pay up.


Throughout the story, the woman common to both men as wife and sister, respectively, Payal, remains a meek presence who offers her help only from the margins. The film portrays all of these characters and their many actions with ease, alongside keeping the viewer engaged in what unfolds next, eventually concluding with a shocking development of events that ties it all together into a single unit.

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