Sexuality, mental health, racism and dysfunctional Indian families - the film engages with all of these issues in a palatable manner without giving in to high-sounding jargon. Imagine the premise as a plot device equivalent of a person entering a room and yelling, "Sex!", immediately followed by, "Now that I have your attention, let's talk business". The film achieves this by centering the major chunk of its action around a hickey in clear view of the world on the fair skin of its protagonist. The film might come across as being overly sentimental or dramatic in some parts. However, that's not a flaw, but seems like a conscious choice on the part of the filmmakers with a very clear idea of who their viewer is. It talks about anxiety, the pressure to get married on women, domestic abuse and the burden of expectations on school students, and manages to keep its tone relatable all along. This ensures that the story rings loud and true with its viewer, allowing it to successfully communicate all that it has set out to.

Hickey | Short Film of the Day

It's evident that the seamless edit of the film lends it a notable gravity, allowing it to be a moving depiction of its protagonist's struggle with crippling anxiety. From the suffocating feeling of drowning to the inability to speak or even deal with the most mundane tasks like answering a phone or switching off an alarm - the plot exhibits how any or all of these activities can hurl someone into deep, dark pits of their own mind. This is further enhanced by providing skilled visualisation for each of these thoughts. While several films on mental health run the danger of offering little to nothing new or unique on the topic, What It Feels Like stands out owing to the structuring of the narrative, and the honesty and dedication to its subject matter. The realisation of the premise shows deep potential on the part of the team, thereby allowing the film to be an adequate portrayal of a mental condition innumerable people in general, and Indian students in particular, grapple with on a regular basis.

What It Feels Like | Short Film of the Day

'Ta'assur' is a lovely conversation on hesitation, inhibitions, fears, and the potential of love, be it for the self or someone outside it, to triumph it all. It opens with a scene that immediately conjures a sense of squalor and neglect. It is off-putting as much as it is an accurate representation of the protagonist's life. 
When we are taken deeper and deeper into her experiences, a reality marked by isolation and loneliness is further invoked. We see her struggle with crippling social anxiety, and the many ways in which it keeps her from leading the life she wants and deserves. The character and her portrayal both become notable characteristics of the film that serve to strengthen its universe. Along with the lows, her journey is also constituted by small, endearing moments which receive the justice they deserve by the plot, eventually leaving the viewer with a cohesive, balanced narrative at the end of it all.

Ta'assur | Short Film Nominee

The film is a lovely, entertaining watch that takes a light-hearted, but unmissable, look at one’s preoccupation with thoughts that may never materialize in the real world. The moment chosen to explore all of this is also defined by zest. It is the very instant when a boy is about to hit a potentially winning (and therefore marked by extremely high stakes) goal for his team during a football match. In that single moment, a whole universe of anxieties and overthinking is conjured both for the viewer as well as the protagonist, with each scenario more terrifying, and humorous, even if it at the expense of the protagonist, than the previous. 

Despite a little inconsistency in its visuals, the film’s storytelling becomes its most marked strength, along with the character of an endearingly stern mother, brought to life by a convincing performance.

Kitna Sochega Bro | Short Film Nominee

Beautifully performed and exhibiting efficient employment of limited resources, the short film communicates its intentions lucidly to the viewer. It brings in performance poetry, but takes it a step further by dramatising the narrative, allowing it to sustain the intimacy of the form, while also playing and experimenting with it. As our protagonist recounts his experience of battling social anxiety, and fears, doubts and uncertainty about life, in general, and about a blind date, in particular in this specific moment, the short film comes into its own. Additionally, it is marked by a single person performing multiple roles and donning several hats, revealing the potential of its young, lean cast and crew, leaving you with the possibility of more such projects by the team.

Blind Date With the Flimsy Teen | Short Film Nominee

The offhand manner in which society views mental health by and large is a problem with adverse consequences. For someone who is struggling with issues of this kind, the dismissal of their experience, or making them feel like they are not heard, can be deeply isolating, forcing them further down a darker path. The short film engages with the same concern and introduces the viewer to the struggles of its protagonist. Using metaphors and symbols, it adopts an experimental approach to share the story. In a world that is just beginning to come out of a pandemic, mental health issues had reached staggering levels, thereby further increasing the need for the conversation on the topic. The film does its bit to encourage and further the dialogue.

The Black, the White and the Apple | 2020 Film Challenge

A student is burning the midnight oil to prepare for his engineering exams. The electricity is out. His
room his pitch dark, and he is studying under the flame of a single candle. It’s a quintessential horror
setting. Strange occurrences begin to envelop him. He suspects being watched by an invisible presence,
but he shrugs it off and continues to study. The next morning, he visits his university and the invisible
stalking presence follows him. He gets into a car, drives to a bridge and commits an act to put his fears
to rest, once and for all. But will they truly stop chasing him?

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