Jaagran  | Short Film of the Month

Short Film of the Year 2023

Jaagran

By Hardik Sadhwani with 7.2

dramedy · Short Films · hindi

sotmsoty
It is the end of a seemingly long day for an auto driver who now sits and eats his dinner outside his house. His wife is deep in sleep in the darkness inside, thereby forcing him to eat his meal in the light of his stationary auto.

In this shadowy realm of exhaustion, and constant daily struggle, our protagonist encounters a brainwave, one that convinces him that robbing the affluent house of a patron from earlier in the night, is indeed the answer to all his woes and unfulfilled dreams. The subsequent plot weaves a humorous, involving ride that is especially notable in its seamlessness.

While the circumstance in itself is the disconcerting reality of the vast majority of the have-nots in the country, the film forever maintains its lighthearted tonality. The writing, performance, and the technical aspects of lighting and visuals, bolster the endeavor further, at the same time, ensuring that all its punches land, as well as it remains entertaining and deeply involving for the viewer throughout.

Though thoughts that approach you in the darkness of the night might make complete sense in the moment, the same might not hold true in daylight. Whether our protagonist is capable of making this distinction, between dreams and nightmares, thus becomes the question central to the narrative, the answer to which awaits at its conclusion.
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