The film preoccupies itself with the idea of beauty, and how it can become an empowering and as well as overwhelming force in the lives of different people. The same is portrayed by giving the viewer a glimpse into the lives of three women - a mother-daughter duo, and their domestic help. A mirror, both with and without its cracks, stands as a crucial image in this portrayal. If for one woman it is nearly shattered, for another it’s completely unscathed, while for a third it has much fewer cracks. 
The three images are contrasted against one another to further pronounce the thematic concerns. When we go deeper into this troubled mother-daughter equation, a face mask becomes a portent of what is to come. The help presents another colorful and unique break from the simmering tension, roping in both colors and music. 
As a mother forces her oppressive views towards herself on her daughter, the young woman, though at the zenith of her youth, finds herself crippled by it all. The aging domestic help, on the other hand, is an unstoppable force when it comes to enjoying articles of adornment and finding a general verve for life. The narrative ties all of these components in a manner that not only offers a crucial comment on beauty and abuse but also exhibits an interesting vision, and a unique approach to storytelling; an approach that leaves one with the welcome prospect of more such fictional explorations in subsequent endeavors.

Avalde Ammede Arimavu | Short Film Nominee

The film locates itself in a pandemic-stricken world where a woman struggles to ensure her daughter does not miss her online classes. A smartphone is absolutely imperative for these classes, but Shalini’s young daughter, Aami accidentally broke theirs. 

Now Shalini struggles between jobs, even at the cost of her own well-being, to ensure that she somehow puts enough money together for a new phone. In the process, not only does the narrative draw a very clear boundary between the haves and the have-nots, but it does so without letting itself get consumed by sentimentalism. Inherent to the narrative is also the idea of the many sadnesses that many of us carry within. 

If for someone it is the struggle to make ends meet, for another it is being stuck in an oppressive job where you can only nod and suffer in silence at the hands of a cruel boss, and for yet another, it is the longing and memory of a lost loved one. Aami, the little daughter, too notices the sacrifices her mother makes while putting on a brave face all along, and it is primarily this courage and perseverance of character that the film preoccupies itself with, in a sincere, devoted manner.

Shalini | Short Film Nominee

The world of 'Jasmine' is dark, shadowy and constituted by tales of the supernatural. Alina, a single mother in Kalimpong inhabiting her ancestral property with her daughter Jasmine, often hosts men as guests in her homestay. Implicit in this are the sexual liaisons that are shared between the host and her guests. 

Once the premise has been established, the story begins with the arrival of Kush all the way from Delhi. As the plot progresses, young Jasmine is located at the heart of the developing drama, revealing to both Kush and the viewer a world of violent rituals, sacrifices and human skulls, all in the name of a deity that requires appeasement by a terrible annual act. 

The film notably blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction, with a dual narrative coming into existence between Jasmine and her mother. Uncertainty engulfs the plot, making it a defining aspect, leaving the viewer with multiple versions of the truth, and in the process, foiling their desires of a neat conclusion in a deliberate, and entertaining manner.

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