First thing's first, let's begin by appreciating the title of this short film. Next- can we please talk about the beautiful cinematography, authentic frames and the most accurate comic timing of the film? This Enter DLP production, written and directed by Pranav Bhasin, also has a surprise up its sleeve regarding its genre for the unsuspecting viewer. With a convincing performance by Arnav Bhasin and Sarita Patankar, The Wolf of Chawl Street will introduce you to the Mumbai streets, but with a twist. It will definitely make you fall in love with the art of making short films, as well as the process of consuming them.

The Wolf of Chawl Street | Short Film of the Day

A viewer should go to Gadhedo unprepared and unsuspecting and allow themselves to be impressed and entertained by a wonderful short film. The story is of a small village where the local teacher lounges and relaxes at the cost of his pupils' education. As Monday becomes 'Monde' and week becomes 'weak', it is not hard to determine the direction his students are headed in. Add to all this his eccentric, witless landlord, and the drama of the film unfolds in the most unpredictable and engaging manner. The film is unique and refreshing in the style it adopts to tell its story, a folk tale, as it states at the start. It has several moments of brilliance as the viewer tries to pin it down to a genre - comedy, drama, thriller? What happens when a simpleton decides to pay a huge sum to his devious tenant to turn his donkey into a human? The consequences are hilarious, surprising and saddening - all at the same time, allowing Gadhedo to be a skilled and sophisticated piece of art.

Gadhedo | Vikrant Massey | Short Film of the Day

As humans continue in their rampage against the environment, here's a short film that makes you pause and reflect. The Story of Kaveri by Reforest India movingly depicts the journey of a slowly dying Kaveri. With an absorbing voiceover in Kannada, it draws attention to the adverse effects of deforestation on Indian rivers. Invoking the myth of Kaveri's birth, when Shiva granted a boon to sage Kavera, the narrative depicts how far the river has come from what it used to be. Kaveri now implores humans to save her from a fate of oblivion and themselves from drought and famine.

The Story of Kaveri | Short Film of the Day

The fact that this short film was made in fifty hours as part of a filmmaking contest deserves special mention. Add to it an experimental, almost dreamlike treatment by Aditya Sharma and Parallax succeeds at disconcerting the viewer with its portrayal of abusive relationships and violence against women. A strong performance by Deeksha Joshi is another aspect that earns appreciation. The film applies the parallax effect to the visuals to bring to life a narrative that emphasises its theme 'Everything is Connected'. As women continue to navigate their presence in public spaces and at home, Parallax becomes a skilled and relevant take on gender, consent and sexual violence.

Parallax | Short Film of the Day

The short film is a dreamy coming together of memory, time and the past. As a character sits down to pen down a letter, he finds himself going down the memory lane, a path the viewer traverses with him. What begins as potentially a love story of childhood sweethearts is soon afflicted by images of separation, violence and heartache. The film achieves all of this, and more, using a narrative which is devoid of any and all dialogue. The visuals are weaved together in a seamless manner to conjure an intelligent narrative that demands your full attention. From sharing a fruit with a dear friend as a child to biting into its memory many seasons later, the film portrays it all in its bid to capture a sense of nostalgia and a wistfulness for a past that once existed.

Li Ej Hu | Short Film Nominee

A man is lazing in his room, watching something on a laptop, when he is interrupted by two disgruntled, indifferent cops. They have arrived at his doorstep looking for his missing girlfriend, Akshaya. However, because she has been off the grid for barely a day, both cops are sure she will eventually turn up at one of her friends’ house. With the case at hand taken care of, they decide to allow themselves a moment to unwind which is then spent in complaining about their job, colleagues and seniors. The film has a remarkable approach to storytelling. The manner in which it blurs genres, from dramedy to thriller, is also notable. Additionally, a theatrical quality is applied to its visuals to further bring the story to life, while confining them to the fixed space of a single room. All of these elements together lead to a successful execution of the plot and narrative.

The Dude and the White Rose | Short Film of the Day

The short film attempts a strong and relevant comment on a society which is fixated on consumerism and generating financial wealth at the cost of the suffering of innumerable, unheard voices. While the rich get richer, the hapless plight of so many continues. Toyhouse uses an object as innocent as a toy to draw attention to the murky reality underneath it. It packs strong performances but runs into the danger of spiralling into vagueness. Nevertheless, it leaves the viewer with a moving picture of the struggle to survive in a world where power is confined and controlled by the moneyed class.

Toyhouse | Short Film of the Day

The short film exhibits some very beautiful and creatively executed visual transitions to tell the story of its protagonist, Savio, an assassin. As he prepares to head out for another day of work, planning his next murder, something unexpected awaits him. The visuals are constituted with several symbols and imagery linked to life, death and a search for the meaning of existence. They are plotted against a philosophical exploration of Dalai Lama's The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The book also comes to serve as the inspiration for much of the treatment of the story that plays out before the viewer. However, in a bid to experiment with its unpredictable and unique cinematography, the plot ends up becoming dense and vague. The film would have had more to gain if the narrative was a little less impenetrable.

Savvy? | Short Film of the Day

The fact that the complex narrative of this film was conceived and achieved within the fixed duration of the 50 Hour Challenge of the India Film Project is commendable. Metronome is a film which successfully uses experimental camerawork to share the story. The intelligent narrative of the film too deserves a mention. While at the start, it may seem like it might spiral into obscurity, it soon proves the viewer wrong with its skilful development.

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