The short film is essentially a conversation between two women who sit across each other as equals in a static, wide frame that serves to further accentuate this equality. However once you enter the universe of the film, you realise that they are far from being equals, separated from each other on the basis of their social location. Yet the two have managed to achieve a common plane as married women. Delivery Girl is an exploration of internalised patriarchy and how sometimes the biggest instruments of it are women themselves. It further draws attention to the fact that women are not the only victims of it, but men too suffer under a patriarchal set-up. Additionally, it reminds the viewer that gender equality is not an ideology to be believed in as long it's convenient to do so. The two women, played convincingly by Vaibhavi Upadhyay and Krutika Deo, communicate all of this to the viewer through a single conversation. However, despite being written beautifully and effortlessly, the predictability of the plot becomes a weakness of the film.

Delivery Girl  | Short Film of the Day

Society functions in such a way that if a woman is spotted alone in a public space, men feel it's perfectly normal for them to accost her. The Wait is a short film which portrays how obnoxious this sense of male entitlement can be. As a woman waits for a friend at a bar, she is approached by an importunate man who refuses to leave her alone despite her obvious discomfort. However, she too stands her ground. The short film by Myntra, another offering of its Bold is Beautiful campaign, leaves the viewer feeling triumphant in the victory of the protagonist who claims her space most fiercely and fearlessly.

The Wait | Short Film of the Day

Nayan Pachori's writing in the short film is undoubtedly the strongest aspect of the narrative. It deals with the struggles of a man trying to overcome his fear, come to terms with his memories and, in the process, free himself of his self-inflicted shackles. The film is dark, jarring and addresses a very important concern pertaining to mental health and male sexuality. However, it does lack the brevity that is essential for the greatness of a piece of art, underutilises the acting skills of its lead actor and often suffers from an ineptness of camerawork. Yet the writing and the thought behind the film is impactful enough to overcome all of these flaws and make it a worthy viewing experience for its audience.

Anubhuti | Short Film Nominee

Complexion makes an off-the-road intervention into the fairness cream debate by showcasing the
perspective of a dark-skinned man. The film opens with an array of fairness products lined up on a shelf,
but they belong to a young man, Rahul. Rahul lives alone. He wakes up in the morning, drives his bike to
work, gets done with his office work and comes back straight home. Everything seems pretty much
normal, routine, except that he applies a fairness mask each night before bed. Imagine the kind of deep-seated insecurities that Rahul carries every day simply due to social prejudice against a dark complexion. 
His insecurities, alienation and loneliness flash through his eyes as he is ignored by his colleagues at
work, especially the women who treat him as though he doesn’t exist. The only person who greets him
at his workplace is his office-boy who serves him tea and is also dark-skinned. 
Days go by the same, but one day, some thing changes - does it mean that Rahul can perhaps finally achieve acceptance?

Complexion | Short Film Nominee

With its engagement with gender, primarily the notions of masculinity, the film has a message for its viewer which is educational in nature. It draws attention to how fixed gender roles can be harmful for not just women, but men as well. The narrative ties together a piece-to-camera with stories and brief portrayals of different situations. The film is well-intentioned and tries to be a reminder as well as advice for people to inculcate a sense of kindness, balance in their emotions and relationships.

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