A wonderful short film by Girliyapa, Kanika is a poignant take on a type of crime most prevalent in India. The narrative builds up gradually, taking its time, yet keeping the viewer glued all along. As it progresses, you realise that, in the most disturbing manner, it's far from what you expected. What starts off as a romantic story of two seemingly star-crossed lovers soon takes a disconcertingly dark turn at the climax. The film's production quality and the mature handling of a very intense subject deserve a special mention. Also backed by skilled cinematography and a strong voiceover, Kanika will definitely stay with you long after you've watched it.

Kanika | Short Film of the Day

Imago invokes the importance of physical beauty for a young girl. A school student, the protagonist of the short film, suffers from leucoderma, a skin condition that leaves her with white spots on her dark skin. Owing to her appearance, she finds it hard to fit in with her peers and struggles with social anxiety. The lack of acceptance leads her to a potentially abusive relationship with an adult who is seemingly accepting of her condition. The short film performs a masterful job of showing how the absence of conventional beauty can be extremely isolating for a young girl. In a short duration, it raises very potent questions and leaves the viewer wanting for more.

Imago | Short Film of the Day

With a powerful voiceover by Shishir Sharma, this short film invokes a very important concern, especially relevant in a country like India. A child conveys a disturbing truth to his parents using something as innocent as dumb charades. While the family is portrayed to be a loving one, with convincing performances by Vivek Madaan, Pooja Verma and Mohit Parmar, the child had still not been able to communicate his secret. The film goes to show how important it is for parents to have a dialogue and an open channel of communication with their children, and thus becomes an important lesson in parenting in the process.

Dumb Charades | Short Film of the Day

This short film invokes a very serious concern which is not spoken about as much as it should be. With its engagement with child sexual abuse, Udne Do attempts to educate its audience about how to talk to children about good touch and bad touch. Additionally, it earns brownie points for the manner in which it portrays autism. The film introduces an autistic child who also plays a pivotal role in the plot. Yet it's not his disorder which becomes the focus of the narrative. If nothing at all, the film will at least leave the viewers with a better understanding of a particular form of abuse and how to prepare children to protect themselves against it, along with a much needed normalisation of autism and those who live with it.

Udne Do | Short Film of the Day

Child sexual abuse is a more common reality in India than we choose to acknowledge. The short film is an attempt to remind the viewer of this disturbing aspect of our day-to-day lives. The narrative communicates its message using suggestions and hiding more than it reveals. It is in the gaps that the viewer finds the story. Further, it is an exploration of the human mind and the manner in which childhood trauma can potentially affect an individual in their adult life. Amidst all of this, it also draws attention to the large number of kids who are extremely vulnerable to abuse of all kinds at the hands of seemingly harmless adults, but with far sinister motives and intentions.

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