Kay Kay Menon is easily the best part of the film. The intention comes at a close second. Sparsh is about the beauty of kindness and all that it's capable of. In the process, it also reveals the consequences of its absence - how the cycle of hate and pain is a tough one to break out of. As it gradually concludes into a fade out, the sensitive viewer might feel a little tug at the heart. However despite its attempts, the film does not deliver all that it promises. It consists of several hits and misses - hits in the form of writing and thought, and misses in the form of the execution of that thought.

Sparsh | Short Film of the Day

The wait is the hardest for those who are left behind, and the narrative of the film indeed portrays the same in a poignant, beautiful manner. The entirety of it is in the form of an affectionate letter that a mother is writing to her child. It is only over a period of time that the contents reveal the true intent of the writer, as well as the circumstances of the person being addressed in it. The strongest aspect of the film is the soulful, seamless narration, with a close second in its cinematography, which serves as the viewer's sole relationship with the protagonist and her struggles. It is through these words that we are allowed to share and participate in her emotions, even if fleetingly, as well as the physical and emotional isolation she experiences in her son's absence. The plot also carries within it an important social message, reminding the viewer of their duty towards society, as a handful of us continue to wage a battle on the front lines of a pandemic that has the world tightly in its clutches.

Manan | Short Film of the Day

More than anything, Beediwaala is an exploration of different ideological ways in which you could approach the same situation. While a crime and the criminal committing it are never born in isolation, to what extent can society be blamed for it? Where does the responsibility of the collective end and that of the individual begin? With strong performances by its two lead actors, the film delineates the story of a delinquent young boy and what happens when his path crosses with a ruthless police officer. With good writing, smooth flow of the narrative and deliberately dim-lit frames, against the background music of the bhajjans of a seemingly indifferent God, the film succeeds at being a satisfying product for its audience. Having said that, it could be added that it would have benefitted from a more sophisticated visual quality.

Beediwala | Short Film of the Day

If a filmmaker manages to tap in the subtleties of storytelling, more than half the battle is won. This short film is a similar victory which straddles two narratives. A cameraperson loses his equipment during a scuffle. When he manages to procure a second hand camera, the memory card that comes with it has a disturbing story to share - one of another young cameraperson who was subjected to extreme violence and cruelty at the hands of a policeman. The two narratives conflate to convey a powerful message about the state of the average people in a country where the powerful brazenly exploit their position. However, having said that, the film is not devoid of its flaws. While the story is a strong one, there are weaknesses in the manner in which it is executed. The film exhibits potential of being a brilliant work of art, but misses the mark by a significant distance.

Alaksha | Short Film of the Day

The short film holds potential, but doesn't entirely achieve it. It endeavours to engage with nuances - of human relationships, red-tapism, dysfunctional families and a mother-daughter relationship, among others. However the attempts come across as half-hearted and incomplete, so much so, that the crux at the climax becomes predictable. While the protagonist offers a strong performance, the same cannot be said about all actors or other aspects of the narrative. In totality, the film falls short of delivering all that it seems to promise at the start.

Tyson | Short Film of the Day

Drawing the viewer's attention to the murkier realities of society, the short film engages with the gross misuse of law and power by the very custodians of it. It opens on a fairly harmless note of a child sitting by himself eating a packet of chips. However, the sense of foreboding is put into place within the first few seconds. As the audience awaits for things to take a dark turn, the story is revealed to be one of violence, corruption, cruelty and police apathy. This is juxtaposed against the plight of the less fortunate who find themselves bearing the brunt of it all in the worst ways possible.

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