The manner in which food comes to define and tie together familial bonds is often endearing and lasting in the most unexpected ways. The story of the short film sets the same premise by introducing us to the absolute chaos a woman's life is hurled into following the Covid-19 quarantine. She now finds herself sharing a house with her former mother-in-law who refuses to speak to her. 

 Soon it is the recipe of a patishapta, a Bengali pancake of sorts, that another relative provides, that becomes the sturdy bridge to invoke potential of communication, and perhaps, eventual acceptance and union as well between the two women. 

However, since a world that has known a pandemic is also one that has known tragedy, an undesirable development awaits the protagonist at the film's conclusion. Amidst it all, it is indeed trying her beloved aunt's recipes and allowing them to be a place of comfort and solace that equips her to battle the sad reality of a pandemic better. In an isolating house of silence and disconcerting quiet, she now finds the resultant delicacies to be her only companions. Additionally, they lead her to the realization of a beauty she may have not acknowledged before, underlines the narrative.

Patishapta | Short Film Nominee

Deliberately disturbing, and having a lot of fun while at it, ‘Laila’ is an interesting, involving endeavor in storytelling. Further marked by brevity and crispness, it is of just the right length, bringing to life a moment of crisis, followed by a sudden change in the personality of the protagonist, Anav. As Akshay, his friend, investigates the reasons behind this shift in his demeanor, the story comes into being, the story of a missing cat, Laila. Though a limitation of resources lingers within the overall production, the end result is marked by a fresh tonality and approach. Perhaps future, longer projects can also be experimented with, employing the same voice and vision.

Laila | Short Film Nominee

'Mauka' is a portrayal of a single moment of love and affection shared between two people. As Falak and Bikram meet for an intimate rendezvous, the film presents its intentions to you. The circumstance comes to pivot on a dish, a plate of pasta, cooked with care by Bikram for his beloved. All of these components are then attempted to be tied together by music and song, but also an undercurrent of emotions, as the two characters enjoy their quiet date. The film is straightforward and cheery, and maintains this lightheartedness and a tone of affection throughout.

Mauka - The Musical | Short Film Nominee

'Arey Apa!' starts off on a lighthearted note where an enthusiastic man coaxes and convinces his elder sister to cook khichdhi. The woman is at the end of her rope, perhaps having already indulged a little too many antics of her brother. However, alongside the cooking process, which she undertakes either way, she has an unexpected piece of advice to offer to him, a small snippet that will stay with him for a long time. 

The film was made in under fifty hours as part of a challenge. This, in turn, gives rise to a few rough edges in the narratorial progression and the edit, but on the whole, the project remains sincere, and defined by endearment and ease with which it develops.

Arey Apa! | Short Film Nominee

The lockdown forced several of us into the kitchen, even those marked by their complete absence of culinary skills. Consequently, when we found ourselves up against the wall, it was time to give it all that we had, even if only for the sake of hungry family members. The music video, cheery and sweet in its tone, is one such portrayal, taking us into the life and experiences of a father-daughter duo. A product of limited resources, and shot perhaps within the confines of a single residential space, it is an honest effort to share its energy, colours and intentions with the world. Though a little more smoothness and synchronisation in its sound department would have elevated it further, the video remains a lighthearted expression of a daughter's love for her father, and the massive role food has to play in it.

Papa Ki Mathematics | 2020 Film Challenge

The film is simply a glimpse into a moment in the life of the protagonist. As he prepares himself a meal, the narrative conjures a light-hearted story pivoting around cooking and a strand of hair that he finds in his fried egg. Marked by notable visuals, the tone it adopts to convey the same is comedic and only aims to amuse the viewer.

Imperfect | Lockdown Film Challenge

The film ties our day-to-day lived reality of a pandemic with a cooking show which has two contenders pitted against each other. What is interesting about them is the fact that they are former lovers. As the narrative develops in its humorous, light-hearted manner, it is further revealed that they are neither over one another, nor do they have the intention of moving on any time soon. It is evident by this point that the reason for their participation is another stab at getting back at each other. More characters are roped in with attempts at generating laughs at their expense. Additionally, a whole conversation about not having used protection enters the plot too, which would go ahead to surprise the viewer by the conclusion of the film. Lockdown Ladai wants to weave a fun and quirky story to entertain the viewer, but would have benefited from a tightness in the narrative. Additionally, a few hits and misses in performances and delivery weaken the punches.

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