Gustaakh is a story of rebellion, a lone ranger raising his voice against the mighty system. The narrative in itself is not unique, but the manner this music video adopts to develop it indeed is. The video is a comment on several issues plaguing contemporary society - from infestation of technology in our lives to death of individual thought, from a regime trying to control every aspect of its people's lives, to a complete destruction of the environment in the name of progress and the mute acceptance of an entire people refusing to see beyond their shackles. Set against the powerful vocals of The Local Train, it's also a falling away from the kind of visuals and much of the music they have worked on so far. It marks a transition from mellow, soft rock, to a harder, more punk form of the genre. The video seems to be the first of its kind in several ways in the Indian music circuit, with a slight hark back to another video, one by Imagine Dragons which too draws upon the colour red and the image of a teddy bear trying to fight tyranny.

Gustaakh | Short Film of the Day

‘Valu’ is a film about the human condition that is marked by the constant struggle to survive, more so if you are responsible for another life, as in the case of the protagonist. A farmer grapples with water shortages while trying to somehow make ends meet for his young daughter. Employing this circumstance, and the many tribulations that constitute it, the film offers a sharp look into his life. 

 The dearth of water affecting his crops is man-made, brought about as a result of theft and illegal trade of sand. When he attempts to get his situation addressed by those who are in positions of power, and thus capable of checking it, a truly unexpected development arrives. 

The film portrays all of this for us minus any frills and fanfare and sustains a frugality of dialogue throughout. Consequently, at its conclusion, a comment is offered not by the things that are said, but instead by the thoughts that are left unsaid in their silence.

Valu | Short Film of the Month

In an interesting subversion of order, the short film presents to us the experience of an upper caste boy who is constantly bullied and ridiculed by members of a lower caste. The latter, complete with drums and fanfare, leave no stone unturned in tormenting their victim, ensuring to drive immense laughter and malicious entertainment out of it. 

The weaving of these events is done in a competent manner, ensuring that the story communicates all its intentions with force and impact. The performances and the chemistry of actors, the well-developed equation of the protagonist and the antagonist, all aid the said intentions. 

Without explicitly saying so, the film offers a crucial comment on the oppressive caste structures that operate within society, while also tying it with a sense of male machismo that can acquire overwhelming proportions of its own. The final result, thus, becomes a relevant story, one that should surely be interacted and engaged with.

Cowman  | Short Film of the Month

‘Krishna Chaaya’ has a lovely quietness to it, one which allows it to make its comment emphatically, ensuring the message is heard loud and clear. At its opening, we are introduced to a young couple, Krishna and Chaaya, and their endearing love story. However, the film soon develops to reveal a reality that is fraught with far more complex nuances and circumstances than we would have gauged at first glance. 

As we get more and more involved in the tribulations of the couple, there is something to be said about the simple transgressions that might be taken for granted behind the wall of privilege - young love and secret love affairs for instance. Without explicitly saying thus, there is also an important comment being made about the double obstacle placed in women’s path, as compared to their male counterparts within the same class spectrum. At the same time, a woman of a higher class easily trumps the freedom of choice of a man who belongs to a lower one. 
 
The film raises all of these points and more, leaving the viewer with a story that would stay with them even after they are done watching the film.

Krishna Chaaya | Short Film Nominee

The music video stands out significantly for the effort and sincerity it ropes in to brings its vision to life. The endeavor presents to us a passionate protagonist who is immensely aware of the many flaws and evils of society, and its inherent systems and institutions. 

Through a voice that will not be silenced, he questions them, and ensures that he raises a furore that draws in more and more voices within its fold. As his ideology resounds with supporters, those who are also languishing under the overpowering, overwhelming system, he finds himself getting louder and louder... until, the iron-clasp of the custodians of power tightens again. 

From a solitary, marginalized voice, which is perhaps even dismissed as the ramblings of a mad man, to invincible leadership located at the heart of a community - the music video covers the entire distance. At the same time, the journey remains equipped with music and energized choreographed performances all along.

Secret Acts of the Dark | Short Film Nominee

It’s difficult to find a word in the English language which describes the occupation of the person we send our washed
clothes to get ironed. The colloquial term is ‘press-wala/wali’. Salbatein is her story. 
The film is a monologue that begins with her detailing the specifics of her life and work. What
she says in the beginning feels a bit unnatural to the viewer, considering the insistence on the realist-genre by the film. But once one eases into the film, her words become a scathing critique of the
iron-fisted patriarchal customs of Haryana. In a way then, the film takes the form of the practice of
ironing where, as the creases are smoothened out, the cloth, and the thoughts begin to take shape. The film is marked by a strong voiceover and performance of its only actor, along with notable writing. From the local, to the global, Salbatein outlines the stifling controls through which patriarchy has
strategised to keep women away from a life of freedom and progress.

Salbatein | Short Film of the Day

The Rohingya refugee crisis has been one of the most staggering displacement of people in history. As hundreds of thousands of people found themselves driven out of their country, or meet a torturous, horrifying fate if they stayed, countless lives were uprooted and scattered to the wind in a cruel, horrifying, haphazard manner. The short docu endeavors to explore the many tribulations of these lives, now having found shelter in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. 

Through the eyes of a doctor, Babar Ali, who works in the camp, the narrative introduces the viewer to it all. From smiling children, to ill elderly to distraught men and women who articulate their unbridled misery to the camera, it attempts to engage with them all. The final result, thus, does its bit to further and spread the conversation on a very pressing, dire issue of contemporary times.

Rohingya | Short Film Nominee

The film offers a powerful comment on the oppressive structures of casteism, and class politics in India. Without overtly expressing any of these, the film uses something as inane as dessert, a gulab jamun, as a metaphor that would ensure all its intentions are portrayed and conveyed without a grain of doubt. 

In the process, violence and brutal acts are invoked within the film, pronouncing the message about the hegemony of predominant power structures in Indian society. The endeavor is further bolstered by skilled camerawork that boasts of seemingly long single-takes and performances marked by sincerity. 

The final result shows authentic storytelling and offers a glimpse into a disturbing reality which can perhaps be explored further as a longer project. Needless to stay, the narrative itself is a notable one, leaving the door open for more engagement with similar thematic concerns, and their explorations vis-a-vis the most unexpected, and therefore, refreshing metaphors.

Gulab Jamun | Short Film Nominee

Chandru is a hardworking student who only dreams of getting himself a pair of slippers. Every time he sees his equally hardworking father, he simply has one request - to get the footwear. The film starts on a harmless, innocent note, but soon invokes deeper, more complicated issues of caste-based oppression and cruelty meted out to little kids by adults because of prejudice. 
The inability of our ten-year-old protagonist to understand these complexities of the adult world add a crucial layer to the narrative, making its message clear and more impactful. Though the film could have gained from a smoother conclusion, it remains an important story worthy of discussion and engagement.

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