The short film is a brave attempt to delve into love, heartache and the inexorable passage of time. It follows a non-linear narrative to present to the viewer three parallel storylines of couples trying to make sense of love and relationships. The first narrative is of Dev meeting a former lover, Arti after a couple of years, the second is of their past and the third is about Dev's romance with another girl before Arti came into his life. Kashish takes the viewer back into those years of their adolescence that brought with them perhaps the first introduction to heartache. It was followed by another phase when they would have just begun to make sense of what love and relationships could potentially mean, finall concluding with a realisation that while, much like the protagonist, they might have had refused to let go of the past, time and tide truly waits for none.

Kashish | Short Film Nominee

The short film attempts a lot of visual treatments and different manners of engaging with its story. From animation to explicit and suggested violence to neon colours splashed across its screen - it employs them all and deserves brownie points for the technical skill it exhibits in handling them. In terms of story, it attempts to blur lines between reality and dream to confuse as well as engage the viewer. The story is essentially of a breakup and the consequent anxiety it leads to in both the parties, as well as a friend of the heartbroken girl. The dreams of all three characters are afflicted with gory images of a violence. It also starts a conversation around gender in general, and concerns like an acid attack, in particular. This goes hand-in-hand with invoking a sense of the female energy that threatens to decimate its male counterpart. Over all, through the exploration of the several dynamics of a breakup, the film talks about all of this and presents it all to the viewer in the form of a completed product.

What If? | Short Film Nominee

The film attempts to be a soulful narrative about the experiences in love of two people. The visuals are set in a beautiful valley of Himachal Pradesh. Though a cool palette of perfect greens and blues might be ready, shooting outdoors in natural light can often be a tough nut to crack, which is perhaps where the cinematography could have been better. The story exhibits brief moments of uniqueness, struggling to surface, but the transitions, performances and colour correction do not aid them sufficiently. The product is an ambitious endeavour and deserves brownie points simply for that.

Reveries | Short Film Nominee

The film shows potential in terms of its camerawork and suggestions of intelligent cinematography. It tries to be a comment on the transitory nature of our troubles, as well as life. The story is of a young man who has everything going wrong for him - from his exams to love life. As he sits despairing all by himself, he is visited by a stranger who leaves him with a reminder to not let life pass him by while he is absorbed in his agony. The film further ties up its sentiment with poetic narration which too might exhibit some strains of poignance. It is a sincere attempt which would have worked better with more control on its sound.

Aarzi | Short Film Nominee

The most notable aspect of the short film is its writing, as well as its efficient use of its limited resources of space and location as a result of the national lockdown. The story is an engagement with the protagonist's ideas of love, relationships, heartache and eventually achieving closure. He has written ninety-nine letters so far. How will the hundredth one be different from all its predecessors?

The Last Letter | Lockdown Film Challenge

The film opens with a shot of assumedly a groom getting ready for his big night. The camera zooms out to reveal that it is indeed a groom in his sherwani and other wedding paraphernalia, but at a restaurant instead of his wedding. The audience's interest is piqued further as he is soon joined by a woman. As the conversation begins to flow, the narrative attempts to introduce the viewer to the many complexities and nuances of love. It further tries a conversation about a bond between lovers that continues to exist whether or not they are together. The film generously invokes metaphors to talk about what it wants to say. However, perhaps it would have gained more from using them frugally and judiciously.

Last Time | Short Film Nominee

Missing attempts a conversation around couples and romantic equations. Being self-involved can leave your partner feeling lonely and isolated. Not being desired is often enough for a relationship to end, which is what this short film conveys. When a woman finds herself ignored by her workaholic partner, what will she do? Will it be too late by the time he finally realises his folly?

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