Happy Anniversary | Short Film Nominee

Short Film Nominee October 27, 2023

Happy Anniversary

By Chand Pathak with 6.7

thriller · Short Films · hindi

Right at the opening of the film, Hanif, a contract killer, betrays his partner Tyagi, and pays a hefty price for it. His brutal murder at the hands of the protagonist also establishes betrayal as an important thematic concern of the plot. The rest of the narrative develops to include violence, a horrifying twist of events, and the suggestion of more than one life being lost in the tumult of it all.

The protagonist is a police officer who is late for his anniversary celebration. However, calls from his wife only enrage him, revealing the anger simmering within the character. The portrayal of the police officer is achieved with skill which, in turn, strengthens the film.

The screenplay is structured to invoke horror, thrill, and a sense of suspense within the viewer as it develops. Exhibiting a want of tighter control on its edit and sound mixing, the end result still presents an earnest effort to conjure a narrative marked by the darkest secrets, and a grotesque subversion of a celebratory occasion like an anniversary.
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