The short film opens with two friends sharing a drink; one is a more indulgent drinker, the other a bit wary, mostly for his friend's sake. Right at the start of the narrative, despite all the humour and jokes, there is a hint of a darker undertone. Remembering their past relationships, the two friends, played effortlessly by Satish Kaushik and Shishir Sharma, end up tussling on the floor over a phone. Immediately after, the tone of the scene changes from being lighthearted to one of secrecy, regrets and deep pain. When Tera Jaisa Yaar Kahan opens, it does not even remotely suggest the direction it's headed in. This indeed is one of the many highlights of this story of friendship, loss and the many forms of love.

Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahan | Short Film of the Day

‘Gray’ is a beautifully controlled conversation on consent, relationships, blurred boundaries of intimacy, with all of them tied with an implicit, but also impactful question - are they truly blurred enough to be ignored? The title presents the idea of a lack of distinct categories, but as the story progresses, it asserts that while it is easy to dismiss neatly drawn black and white lines as gray, to eschew accountability, and instead adopt wilful blindness, things are much more clearly defined in moments of intimacy. And thus, after having established its premise, begins the film’s forward motion towards the same conclusion. 

Now, the premise in itself can very easily fall in the trap of threadbare storytelling, or lacking much-needed nuance, or devolve into emotional melodrama. However, the aforementioned control, the writing, and needless to say, the strong performances, all ensure that the film achieves its goal seamlessly. 

Along with it, there is also a subtle mention of the rampant pervasiveness of sexual assault or more aggressive ignoring of boundaries when it comes to the female experience, that further leads to the normalization of what is offhandedly touted as the “gray” territory, when indeed it is very starkly black.

Gray | Short Film of the Month

When talking about college life, the norm is to adopt a lighthearted tone, with a garnish of drama every now and then. Consequently, a show like Operation MBBS which shatters this mould, promises to infuse a fresh breath of air in the Indian web series space. With a potentially poignant portrayal of the struggles of the students of a medical college, it becomes an engagement with peer pressure, past traumas, familial expectations and the constant struggle to perform irrespective of them all. The show seems to employ drama in an artful way, perhaps offering a little bit of something for viewers with varied expectations.

Dice Media | Operation MBBS | Web Series

Operation MBBS | Dice Media | Web Series

Against the hinterland of 2014 rural India, when it is still untouched by technology and the internet, and is instead marked by child marriages and walls covered with social messaging about covered toilets, the film allows its narrative to develop. One morning, three school boys (who choose to refer to their eleventh grade school as 'college', a notably authentic touch to the story), find a smartphone. As a scuffle ensues regarding the ownership of the phone, the desire for internet has also begun to stretch its limbs in their imagination. While the story is still establishing its premise, a new girl comes into the village and is soon the inhabitant of the only house with a wireless internet connection in the area. The film, marked by its lovely visuals and camerawork, allows the WiFi at her house to be the common pin that holds the entire plot together. It is also the pivot on which the film rotates, bringing in several emotions - of friendship, young love, loyalty, mischief and an eventual acceptance. It is fresh and contemporary of the right kind in its premise, sincere in its attempt to localise the story and successful in tying all of these elements together in an organic, cohesive narrative.

WiFi | Short Film of the Day

‘Seher’ is a heartfelt film, bringing to life a quiet mellowness on screen. The entirety of it is a conversation between Abhay and Hussna, a conversation that begins at a very pivotal point in the night for both characters. 

The ensuing exchange offers an earnest exploration of grief, loss, death, heartbreak, and some more. As they catch up, we hear of the many tribulations that afflict their lives in the form of infidelity, the uncertainty of life for a freelancer, financial troubles, the obstacles presented by the pandemic, mental health issues, and failure in love. 

The myriad emotions are shared without overwhelming the narrative. Even though we never see the two characters together in the same physical space, their palpable chemistry portrays the film’s reality with conviction and ease. The thread that ties the film as one is held tightly in place by a beautiful exploration of a Platonic friendship, and the idea of people saving each other not by grand gestures, but by simply sharing small, simple pockets of bonding, care, and affection.

Seher | Short Film of the Day

Three orphan boys, who somehow fight back the many obstacles of penury to survive, one day scrap enough money to visit the local carnival. As Monty, Kamal and Kunnu reach the fare, little are they aware of how an entry ticket too has to be bought first.


 Spending all their money at the entrance itself leaves them with none for rides or other colorful, dazzling attractions the space holds. As they move from one mini-adventure to another, vicariously enjoying the fare through other patrons, while also longingly staring at the families and children who got dealt a better hand at life than them, the visit nevertheless becomes full of surprises and twists. All of these visuals enjoy the portrayal they deserve with sophisticated camerawork and a judicious use of a very young cast.

 Things finally come to a head in a high-paced chase scene which completely alters the course of the night, and perhaps, also the lives of the little boys. As the older boy comforts the younger one with truths he is not entirely sure of himself, the viewer is allowed a poignant moment where a child is deprived of the innocence of childhood, and forced by the many cruelties of the adult world to acquire the role of the protective caretaker. This protectiveness is evident right from the very start; the undeniable sense of the three of them against the world pervades the plot throughout, allowing us an endearing story of friendship, camaraderie, but one which is cut too short too soon by tragedy.

Mela | Short Film of the Month

The music video is marked by an effervescent charm that can rarely be associated with a narrative or the visuals it employs to tell its story. If you've been looking to go on an adventure, let this be the anthem that drives you forward. Indian Summer is a beautiful compilation of moments that a solo traveller encounters on his journey. He finds friendship, love and a kind of peace that can only be associated with visiting alien lands and finding friends in strangers, a deeper understanding of the self that comes from loving strongly, but fleetingly, when goodbyes are imminent. But above all, the music video earns full points for the manner in which it weaves all of this with a tune by Jai Wolf that's sure to stay with you for a long time once you've heard it.

Indian Summer | Short Film of the Day

The short film strikes the right balance between humour and emotion and achieves a wholesome product for its target audience. The story is about a young boy moving out of his house for the first time for college. The video offers a lovely portrayal of the emotional turmoil of all the family members, manifested in their own unique ways. Friendship, familial love and sibling bonds - the narrative manages to touch upon them all. Irrespective of the stage you find yourself at, whether gearing to leave the house to pursue life or have already moved past that stage to come into your own, you will find something in the film to tug at your heartstrings.

Ghar Ka Aakhri Din | The Screen Patti | Short Film of the Day

The short film opens on a dreamy note, making the viewer expect something very different from what is yet to come. The narrative unfolds like poetry, giving one the impression of reading a book, more than watching visuals, in the most wonderful manner. Supported by two polished actors, Sumeet Vyas and Purab Kohli, Camouflage is about a single conversation between two Indian Army personnel, both debating notions of integrity, survival and vanquishing the enemy on the battlefield. While one talks of the enemy within, the other talks of the enemy without. The film attempts to present the viewer with several aspects of military operations and the manner in which two young men, both away from family and loved ones, manage to find friendship, hope and laughter.

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