On a seemingly regular afternoon, a man exploits a hapless chaat-seller along a roadside, as two school-girls discuss a recent accident that had taken place near-by. While the former exchange can still fall within the boundaries of a mundane encounter, defined by stinginess and helplessness, the mention of the accident hints at something darker unfolding simultaneously. 

The film’s world-building thereafter remains gradual, marked by an eeriness that is aided greatly by a careful choice of the background score, as well as a crucial, strong performance by Akhilendra Mishra. 

With the progression of the story, the protagonist continues to stumble across crisp notes of twenty rupees as he continues on his path. Unable to look away, he finds them in a murky pool of water or in obscure spots high up in the air. Despite frantic calls from his impatient daughter, he still refuses to focus on the path, until he reaches a point from where there is no turning back. The journey thus mapped out by the narrative is engaging, involving, and at last, deeply shocking.

Bārāt | Short Film of the Month

Nayan is a meek, reticent bank employee who is chasing a loan defaulter for months now. However, his inability to demand the money forcefully, and instead forever being cowed down by the defaulter, Vivek Gamit, has left his boss extremely disgruntled. With only three days to get the money back, and save his job, he is left in a desperate corner with nowhere to turn. 

Nayan’s domestic life too reflects the same reticence, as he goes along with everything his wife says or suggests. The film offers a wonderful character trajectory from its beginning to end in terms of the protagonist. In fact, it is this moment of breaking out of the quiet that forms the disconcerting crux of the plot. 

The entirety of it is handled gingerly and meticulously, bolstered by a convincing performance of the protagonist. The writing forms a prominent strength as well, ensuring that the film remains engaging and balanced throughout.

Recovery | Short Film Nominee

Crime, love gone sour, mythology, and a battle between demons and gods, all form integral parts of this carefully woven film. The narrative, though mainly confined to a single night and the seediness of its shadows, moves back and forth in time to construct the story of primarily three characters - a police officer, a disgruntled lover, and a man who is overwhelmed with financial tribulations. 

Adding to the intrigue is a fourth character, a woman, Mhalsa, who will come to alter the course of the narrative in an irrevocable, lasting manner. She enters the plot at a crucial juncture with a past that connects her to more than one man, a topic of intense discussion by all the men who surround her. 

The cop regales a nervous waiter with a mythological story that will present the most crucial metaphors of the film, ideas of right and wrong, and how more often than not they get reduced to a grey realm of blurred boundaries. A little distance away from him two friends await their third companion who arrives with a disturbing tale of his own. The two parties remain completely oblivious to the third where the man shares his woes with a confidant. 

Notwithstanding a few rough edges in terms of production, particularly in the department of sound, there is a smoothness with which all of these elements are eventually connected. The duration of the film allows it to spend enough time on each subset of the plot without losing pace. The writing becomes a notable aspect of the film, followed by the edit and performances, all of which together give rise to an engaging end result that displays sincerity and investment of thought.

Neelakanta Bar | Short Film Nominee

Bhasad is a laugh riot! From start to finish the film keeps getting better. Comedy is the most difficult
genre to attempt and deliver, and Bhasad surprises you with the ease with which it achieves that goal. 
The film is a situational comedy, with an element of the buddy film, and a pinch of suspense; all of
which make for a cackling combination, while also revealing Vanshika Sharma as a filmmaker to definitely watch
out for! 
The best part of the narrative is that it doesn’t take itself seriously in its tone or the projection it throws on
the viewer. So, the film may seem a bit raw or rough around the edges, but don’t let that fool
you. In fact, a comedy is meant to do just that, come across silly. But the devil is in the detail. It is a film
of not too many words, but each joke lands!

Bhasad | Short Film of the Day

The film brings to life a heist narrative, conjuring elements of surprise, stress, betrayal, and each character trying to outsmart the other. The question that thus becomes central to the story is - who will succeed at this game of deceit and self-serving interests? 

Utkarsh has found himself in a sticky soup, and he now struggles to retrieve a whopping sum of ten crore rupees from a powerful rival. He ropes in the help of his brother-in-law and friend Mahesh to somehow secure the money. Employing a theft of diamonds from a museum, the two come up with a foolproof plan to get their nemesis to pay up.


Throughout the story, the woman common to both men as wife and sister, respectively, Payal, remains a meek presence who offers her help only from the margins. The film portrays all of these characters and their many actions with ease, alongside keeping the viewer engaged in what unfolds next, eventually concluding with a shocking development of events that ties it all together into a single unit.

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