The film invokes a sense of deliberate unease with its experimental approach, marked by a high-paced edit with seamless transitions, each smoother than the other. It takes the viewer into the life of a disturbed protagonist who dreams of becoming a pilot. His reality, however, is far from that. The narrative further brings in an experience of emotional isolation from a distanced family, mental health struggles, and lastly, the failure to clear the examination that would have enabled him to finally become a pilot. As he expresses his grievances with his parents, and his hatred for his desk job, the role of mental health, primarily depression and Alzheimer's, is conjured to reveal to the viewer the obstacles in the protagonist's path. The film also brings to life ideas of a parallel existence, a philosophical engagement with the same, while employing flying and dreams as important metaphors and symbols. The final product is marked by an easy flow of visuals and camerawork that exhibits notable potential.

Pavamanam | Short Film Nominee

The short film achieves an insightful and involving engagement with the different facets of a person's consciousness. If, on the one hand, his desire is to be productive and efficient, with all efforts put towards avoiding distractions of all kinds, there is the playful, naughty side to him, filled with all kinds of notorious ideas and notions, on the other. The narrative is a poetic portrayal of the constant tussle between the two, introducing the viewer to the underlying question of who would truly emerge victorious?

Chitt Aur Achitt | Lockdown Film Challenge

The human mind, in all its intricacies and complexities, can be a pretty interesting subject of study. The narrative of the short film attempts something similar, trying to draw a comparison between the left and the right hemispheres of the brain, and the manner in which they interact with each other. The choice of the title stands for a metaphor for the brain as well as the premise of the plot. The story is weaved in an intelligent manner, making it the strongest aspect of the film, along with notable performances and chemistry between the actors. The background score is well-suited, and all the twists and turns are timed in a manner to allow them to come into their own with completion and a sense of closure.

The Wireless Bridge | Short Film Nominee

The short film opens with startling images of a bloody knife, a lifeless body and a wailing husband confessing his crime in a passionate outburst. However, as he proceeds to explore the misplaced reasons for his actions and drown in deep-seated guilt, a comedic subversion of events reveals the entire scene to be an audition. A voice from behind the camera challenges his acting skills, commenting on his inability to step into the character and shed tears, articulating dialogues and so on. 
They go through several takes for a perfectly delivered scene. However, did they really succeed or lose something essential in the process? Does the narrative suggest something deeper than otherwise visible to the eye at first glance? The final result raises all of these questions, while also attempting to use color to convey underpinnings of the plot, eventually offering its conclusion, and the answers, to the viewer.

Audition Room | Short Film Nominee

A maze is a puzzle. To be a-mazed is to be dazed, and confused. Rachit Daruka’s film wishes to depict
both: the maze as a noun and the maze as a verb. It seeks to capture the emotional, mental, physical,
geographic as well the psychological state of being associated with a maze. The affiliated emotions of
suffocation and confinement are also indicated in the film. 
Maze follows the protagonist, inviting the viewer to come along, as he struggles with finding his way out. The story, however, would have gained from a little more attention on emboldening its narrative, enough to translate the anxieties of the character for the spectator. Overall, the final product is a reflection of a well-meaning attempt to engage with the thought inherent to the film, and a desire to portray it on screen for the viewer.

Maze  | Short Film Nominee

The short film invokes several emotions in the viewer, some that allow them to participate in what the protagonist is feeling, others that take them far from that. The first portion of the film might lead one to believe that its only character battles some form of extreme social withdrawal, almost manic in nature. He constantly wakes up to check the locks on his door, shutting them tightly every single time. However, the second half of the film has a fairly opposite development in store - one that might make the viewer experience a sense of entrapment, akin to even claustrophobia, a situation that several must be familiar with in a post-quarantine world. Additionally, the title is a clear suggestion of the depths of the human mind, and how difficult its darkness can truly prove to be sometimes. Further, the film exhibits promise and allows itself just enough abstraction for the viewer to bring to it their own interpretation of the events unfolding before them.

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