The short films opens with the planning of a conspiracy to overthrow the British. The year is 1947, Indians are languishing under the colonial rule and it's time to take matters in their own hands. To achieve the same, youngsters from across India have collected in a remotely located hut. While the plan is hatched in shadows, faces soon become brighter and clearer as it seems to be taking a more defined form. After fighting the darkness of internal conflict, as is also conveyed by literal momentary darkness on screen, the lamp is lit and the path is found once again. The film, which is set in a time when leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru were at the forefront of the freedom struggle, also offers a critique of the nationalist movement. Finally, The Insignificant closes with an interesting thought - all representatives of different parts of the country want freedom, but is that all that they truly want?

The Insignificant | Short Film of the Day

The primary concern of the film is the compelling issue of exploring what freedom truly means, and its intricate relationship with the absence of fear. Once the narrative has conjured its idea of freedom for you, it moves forth to portray it in a concise manner by introducing us to a couple. 

The smiling lovers suddenly become very unsure of their safety in a public space like a roadside. The narrative heightens tension, only to puncture it in a way that presents its message about our contemporary reality loudly and clearly. The story is further taken home by competent performances who communicate it all with a frugal, but unequivocal verbal exchange.

Azaadi Mubarak | Short Film Nominee

The story is set in the aftermath of the Kargil war, fought between India and Pakistan in 1999. India has
been declared 'victorious' (the armed conflict was referred to as Operation Vijay, historically by the
Indian Defense Forces). A little girl is running across a street gleefully holding the Indian tricolour flag – not an uncommon image for a war film. A Sikh soldier returns to his house in the village post the war; except that it is
not his house. The twist that the film takes is hard-hitting, and drives home the point that we most need
right now: a war is victory with no survivors. With a noble message at its heart, the film foregrounds for the viewer that death and pain do not discriminate based on which side is victorious, and thus, leave behind endless loss in their wake.

Kargil | Short Film Nominee

From the premise itself, the film wants to make several important comments about the idea of identity, nationalism and politics in a country that is battling a hypersensitive atmosphere. It brings in the cruel and violent treatment of Kashmiris by some members of perhaps a fringe or extremist group on a college campus. They can be assumed to be students or youth leaders backed by political parties or both - the film does not clarify these details. While the intention of the narrative is to further dialogue on the topic of dissent, it could have perhaps gained from a more organic pace. This, in turn, would have allowed it to benefit from a little more coherence in the development of events, and elevate it higher than where it already stands.

Vividh Bharti | Short Film Nominee

The story of ‘Andhera-Ujala’ aspires to make a comment about one’s careless habits that add to the degradation of society, sometimes even without one’s own realization of the same. This is explored by introducing us to a protagonist who is deeply unhappy with the state of things. 
From politics to the behaviour of those around him, he is frustrated by it all. And yet, he remains blind to his own patterns and the many ways in which they are harming the very nation whose future he is expressing concern over. The primary message thus becomes a reminder to take responsibility of our own actions, instead of constantly looking outwards and blaming external factors.

Andhera-Ujala | Short Film Nominee

The two concerns the film ties together offers a unique union of nationalism and love and respect for the environment. It brings to life the constructive message about both of them being intrinsically tied. Consequently, protecting and preserving the environment becomes an expression of love for your country and vice-versa, underlines the story. All of these thoughts and intentions are presented to the viewer by way of a poetic narrative in a first person voice. As a father-son duo strengthen and asses their relationship with nature, the ideas of harmony and love towards your surroundings are allowed an expression on screen.

A Last Visit | Short Film Nominee

Made as a parody of one of the most iconic Bollywood films, Rang De Basanti, this video positions itself as a trailer of the sequel of the same. The story is of a young protagonist who wants to make a film on Tipu Sultan. However, given the hyper-political environment in the country, he is advised to do otherwise. As he onsets on the journey of making an independent, impactful film, auditions are held, work is begun and the realisation to not repeat the mistakes of his predecessors in the previous film is achieved. There is an attempt to invoke humour at the expense of the conflicted ideas of nationalism and the state of things which are a direct echo of contemporary Indian reality. The film is an ambitious satire, despite its limited resources, and is an honest endeavour deserving appreciation for trying to use humour to accentuate the importance of effecting change.

RDB 2: Tipu's Revenge | Short Film Nominee

Using an iconic song from one of the most successful Bollywood films (Ae Watan from Raazi), the music video chooses nationalism and patriotism as its core. The same is communicated to the viewer by means of a narrative which is about a character risking his own life to save so many others. Further, the location the film uses is of a hospital where a whole community of people come together to take care of each other. It is against this backdrop that the drama of the plot unfolds.

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