Earlier this year, of the many internet gems that graced our virtual chats, there was a video of a middle-aged Indian man, a figure (soon to be fondly known as Dabbu uncle within the realm of the internet) we are all too-familiar-with dancing to the Bollywood song Aap Ke Aa Jane Se. Picking up from there, the eponymous short film weaves an endearing and heartwarming narrative about a man, Rammo Babu's life who finds himself at the centre of unexpected attention when a video of him dancing at a wedding goes viral. 
Unable to make much sense of this era of smartphones and WhatsApp forwards, Rammo Babu lives a simple life. He sells sarees with a single-minded devotion to his job, drops his children to school every morning and ensures he always turns up for his family, driving them around sandwiched on a two wheeler. Manu Rishi Chadha as Rammo Babu would completely win you over with the disarming vulnerability he brings to life in the film. The performance is tied with an organic and smooth progression of events within the plot, ensuring that it succeeds at striking all the right chords with the audience. 
Additionally, the film does a notable job of portraying the many nuances and subtle realities of a middle class household where it is only the simple joys that often suffice in making someone’s day. It is precisely in achieving this, among other things, that the film’s true success lies.

Aap Ke Aa Jane Se | Short Film of the Day

A man is lazing in his room, watching something on a laptop, when he is interrupted by two disgruntled, indifferent cops. They have arrived at his doorstep looking for his missing girlfriend, Akshaya. However, because she has been off the grid for barely a day, both cops are sure she will eventually turn up at one of her friends’ house. With the case at hand taken care of, they decide to allow themselves a moment to unwind which is then spent in complaining about their job, colleagues and seniors. The film has a remarkable approach to storytelling. The manner in which it blurs genres, from dramedy to thriller, is also notable. Additionally, a theatrical quality is applied to its visuals to further bring the story to life, while confining them to the fixed space of a single room. All of these elements together lead to a successful execution of the plot and narrative.

The Dude and the White Rose | Short Film of the Day

The film builds its world at a sustained pace. It starts off with humor and eccentricity as a man gradually tries to make sense of his new humble dwelling, to say the least. In trying to align it with his ideas of auspicious domestic placement, he bathes in the kitchen and cooks in the washroom. 
The protagonist is more than content with this. However, the circumstance is hardly inviting for his hapless, pregnant wife, Bhavna. As the conflict between the couple regarding the situation mounts, a terrible development occurs from which there is no looking away. 
What the film briefly lacks in terms of maturity of tonality, it comfortably compensates with its strong visual grammar. The notable storytelling also eventually presents a crucial metaphor, one that takes the film home in a complete, balanced manner after having lucidly communicated all that it had set out to with its premise.

Sookha Patta  | Short Film of the Month

The title of the film sets the first expectations in terms of its thematic concerns; the approach and storytelling ensure that their exploration does not become trite or predictable. 

Vihaan is lazing in a park, consumed by his own thoughts when a phone call delivers the most shocking news - one about the passing of his school best friend Krish. Vihaan's long silence which follows as the caller continues to share her plans establishes his emotional state for the viewer - a numbness-defined quiet. 

A group of their school batchmates meet at a friend’s house to share their grief and thus begins the protagonist’s efforts to come to terms with everything that he’s feeling, or rather the very lack of the feelings that won’t come. It is further interwoven with how grief means different things for different people, and for some, nothing at all. The film ropes in notable choices for the background score, along with exhibiting thought and care when it comes to the screenplay, writing, and the overall putting together of the end result as a composite whole. It leaves the door open for expanding on the already-evidenced potential and storytelling in future projects.

How Not to Deal With Grief | Short Film of the Day

The film opens in an arbitrary universe of unrelated things and characters, complete with surreal images of open fields and unlikely sheepherders. The circuitous path eventually takes us to the protagonist, Yaduk, who has a thing or two to say about intellect and mediocrity. 
In the process, the film makes an unequivocal comment about the burden of awareness. It presents a thought in a distinct style, drawing inspiration from drama-comedies of a similar suit, but roping in its own individual voice to portray it all. The narrative establishes a premise, and shares its views on intellect and its relationship with lesser pursuits; it is a welcome prospect to see a longer exploration of the same storytelling style. It would allow future projects to surpass their existing potential.

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