The film opens with a still frame of a place of unknown location. The narrative takes its time to progress, but the pace is handled expertly which does not make the viewer impatient. Owing to the elegant and muted visuals, you are willing to allow the story its own time to unfold. The film, one about a father trying to put together enough money to get his daughter married in a semi-rural town of Haryana, possesses potential of being a poignant, moving piece of art, yet falls short of the mark. It's subtle and deep, and further supplemented by authentic performances, it encapsulates the struggles of the protagonist beautifully. The dilemma is between fulfilling the needs of his mother and that of his daughter, where he has to choose between either of the two. However, the ending does not offer sufficient reconciliation or closure for the viewer. This, in turn, also becomes a significant flaw of an otherwise sophisticated product.

Amma Meri | Short Film of the Day

It’s difficult to find a word in the English language which describes the occupation of the person we send our washed
clothes to get ironed. The colloquial term is ‘press-wala/wali’. Salbatein is her story. 
The film is a monologue that begins with her detailing the specifics of her life and work. What
she says in the beginning feels a bit unnatural to the viewer, considering the insistence on the realist-genre by the film. But once one eases into the film, her words become a scathing critique of the
iron-fisted patriarchal customs of Haryana. In a way then, the film takes the form of the practice of
ironing where, as the creases are smoothened out, the cloth, and the thoughts begin to take shape. The film is marked by a strong voiceover and performance of its only actor, along with notable writing. From the local, to the global, Salbatein outlines the stifling controls through which patriarchy has
strategised to keep women away from a life of freedom and progress.

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