One day a grandfather decides to write a letter to his newly born grandson. He condenses all his experiences and lessons learnt from life in a letter which this beautiful short film shares with the viewer. In a world where there is no end to headlines about hatred, pain and loss, Khat reinstills hope most poignantly. Maybe giving life a second chance is not too bad an idea. Maybe we were put here to make it a more wonderful place, even if slightly so. This short film leaves you with all of this more. It reminds you why it's important to never give up hope, to always remember to fall in love, and above all, to never stop dreaming and trying.

Khat | Short Film of the Day

The music video, with its title translating to 'prayer', is a wonderful splash of colors, matched in its approach by the overall aesthetic and ambience of the narrative. Similar visuals of a man lying down against different backgrounds are put next to each other to enhance it all. The video thus becomes a stringing together of vast expanses of the sea, rocks and the endless sky, as if viewed from the eyes of a divine being looking down upon earth from their heavenly abode. 
The sole character of the video sings to an unnamed, nondescript god about the state of things on the planet. Even as he sings for protection from imminent obstacles, there is still the invocation of an unexpected, uplifting sense of hope and warmth. The vocals are equally matched, and ensure that the final result is presented forth in a balanced, wholesome manner.

Prarthaney | Short Film of the Day

It’s a lovely winter morning in Kashmir when Haleema meets her close friend Tara. As the two women sit down to chat, share a moment and eventually go about the town, arm in arm with each other, a bond marked by intimacy and deep affection is conjured for the viewer. 
The tonality and writing is deliberately suffused with warmth and an uplifting delineation of a friendship. However, tragedy is swift to strike, and in this sudden reversal of fortune, the narrative offers its core message to the viewer. 
Without meandering into overt sentimentalism, the film presents its comment on the mindlessness of a form of violence that is executed in the name of imagined boundaries of religion and communal differences. The vagaries of life are put under question, as the hope, and the voice which stood for it, is silenced with a brutal act of cruelty. The storytelling, and performance both show earnestness, thereby, allowing the film lucidity in communicating its message to you.

The Good News | Short Film Nominee

An unsuspecting auto driver in a corner of Mumbai one day stumbles across a bag containing an exorbitant amount of money and valuables. One phone call to his wife, Arti, reveals from her accent that she belongs to a vastly different part of the country, Uttar Pradesh. As the two squabble over individual differences, and mull over different options to use the money to their advantage, the many investments and businesses that can be bolstered by it, or whether to return it, a parallel story is developing. 


We are then presented with a pair of corrupt, but harmless, cops, along with the same nexus of UP and Maharashtra in their origins. The two continue to indulge in playful squabbling, and soon find their path overlapping with the perplexed couple who, unbeknownst to them, struggles to make up their mind about the bag. 

The film weaves an entertaining, humorous narrative, held together by its performances, writing and narratorial progression. At the heart of it lies an endearing, uplifting message about the kindness and generosity of human nature, which allows the end result to be a perfect watch on a rainy day, or any time when you simply need your belief restored in humanity.

Don’t Touch Me | Short Film of the Day

‘Daud’ (Run), essentially a story of familial love, loss and the drama that ties it all together, presents an overlap of animation and live action to paint its reality for the viewer. A man, ever since he was a boy, used to run up a mountain every day with his father. However, one morning when the child did not accompany him, the father never returned from the run, thereby starting an endless pursuit for the protagonist to scale the mountain, and conquer not only the peak, much like his father had once dreamed, but also the fears he harbours within. The story is brought to life using a competent voiceover, which is seamlessly coupled with an equally skilled background score. There is never a drop in the energy, especially crucial to a film that preoccupies itself with running, and in the process, the narrative succeeds in keeping the viewer engaged throughout.

Daud | Short Film Nominee

Equipped with a controlled pace, the world of ‘Bhojan’ is constructed gradually. The narrative spends time with ease on each individual component. The entirety of the plot unfolds within the span of one day in the life of our protagonist, Vishal.

 In this duration, however, the film presents to you a complete picture of Vishal’s social location, his working class background, and all the hopes, dreams and aspirations that he harbors within. The narrative further exhibits seamlessness in the manner in which it employs both humor, and drama to share its intentions. 

Additionally, the protagonist is brought to life with sincerity and skill in terms of writing as well as performance. The story also covers an interesting journey from the moment of its opening to the conclusion, presenting to us two very contrasting images, finally united by an unexpected, yet organic, narratorial flow.

Bhojan | Short Film Nominee

Art indeed has a higher purpose, one of not only imitating reality, but also changing it for the better. The ad film is a reminder of the same by portraying how positive stories enable us to break out of the moulds society forces us into. What is it that can't be conquered with love and kindness, with a little support of those around you and with a desire to help each other? The film raises the same rhetorical question by presenting the viewer with different scenarios. The smooth and skilled visual transitions from one scenario to another enriches it further. Stories have the power to lead to constructive thought which in turn can lead to reformative action. Let this film simply be an invocation of this particular truth, if nothing more.

Badal Diya | Short Film of the Day

Despite the disturbing thought the film invokes in its title, taking one’s life by suicide, the narrative is marked by uplifting humor and hope. The entirety of the plot is a movement towards the realization of the same. 
A man is trying to end his life, but a little girl keeps coming in his path. She takes him down the road of some unexpected misadventures that amuse the viewer, even if at the cost of the protagonist’s misery. Their exchanges continue, following the format and approach of a silent film, employing the visual flow steadily, coupled with a fitting background score. 
At the heart of the film is an important message that is presented to the viewer with earnestness and lucidity, while also displaying a screenplay defined by ease, along with a complementary edit.

Sui-side Story | Short Film Nominee

Valarpirai or Waxing Moon is an endearing story that is defined by its inherent warmth and innocence. The plot is simply about a father-son relationship, and the many moving parts that surround it. In the process, however, the film invokes an entire array of emotions - from affection, love, intimacy to tragedy, sadness, and the attempt to still find a silver lining and hope in the darkest of times.

 The visuals that are employed to share the story are notable and marked by a smoothness that further serve to enhance the final result. This is coupled with a background score that complements the drama unfolding on screen before you.

 A little boy adores and looks up to his father who says he works as a painter, but the missing toes on his foot tell a different story. Extremely hard-working and determined to provide his son with everything that he can, be it a notebook or cycling lessons, he leaves no stone unturned in pushing himself. However, amidst the love and innocence, it is clear that something troubling is brewing right under the surface. When the narrative reaches the point of revelation, the little boy is left facing a circumstance his young age has not prepared him for, and yet, the conclusion provides an uplifting glimpse into his approach that is eventually marked by a sweet, and complete devotion towards his father.

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