Anukul is a story by Satyajit Ray that is enhanced in the most elegant way by Sujoy Ghosh's filmmaking. The narrative is about a school teacher who decides to get a robot one day to take care of his domestic chores. Set in West Bengal, the plot touches upon a concern which is also relevant in contemporary times, one of artificial intelligence making humans redundant. The dim-lighting of the film further helps to invoke a sense of tension and uncertainty about the human fate as well as their conflicted equation with machines. The film is subtle, powerful and, irrespective of the side you find yourself on when it comes to apprehensions about AI, sure to move you.

Anukul | Short Film of the Day

Sameer and Akash are talking late into the night about mundane things when the conversation takes an interesting turn. Akash leaves Sameer with a link to an AI software where interacting with the virtual assistant would reward you with a gift card. Hesitant at first, Akash soon begins a free-flowing conversation with the chatbot. As the exchange continues to grow in intensity, it leaves both the viewer and the protagonist deeply disconcerted. 
The screenplay, the majority of which unfolds by way of a virtual chat, minus any dialogue, is constructed with care and meticulous attention to thought. A sense of thrill and tension is suffused into the plot as it begins a philosophical engagement with the ideas of religion, existence, consciousness, and enlightenment, already echoed in the title. Even though there is a slight risk of losing some tautness within the narrative, the final unexpected twist at the climax pulls the film back into one cohesive whole. The notably executed solo project paves the path for a longer one in the future with the same approach to storytelling.

Bodhi | Short Film Nominee

By using the example of two robots who become sentient beings and try to break out of their mechanical structure of cold, unthinking machines, the film perhaps endeavours a comment on the state of humanity. It shows two robots developing a unique bond of friendship, which then leads to the subsequent desire to break out of their confinement where they are only surrounded by mechanical, heartless steel. As they try to break out, their systems are rebooted leaking to a memory format and erasure. While they may rage and protest against it, is an escape truly possible for them? The film shows skill, patience and expertise on the animation front, but the visualisation has a deep echo of iconic visuals like those of Wall-E and would have benefited with a little freshness in that aspect.

Upgrade | Short Film Nominee

Abhi Na Jao is an ambitious attempt to engage with a relationship that an artist develops with an artificial intelligent assistant. As the affection and warmth takes the form of an obsession, the film gets darker. It opens with a dimly lit shot of a painter standing before a blank canvas, unable to achieve what he wants. The product of art remains incomplete as he struggles to find someone to talk him out of ending his own life, to give meaning to his life. The narrative then goes back in time to delineate events that led to the present moment. The film tries to be an exploration of an intense topic, however, is unable to offer an entirely unique voice to engage with it.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links