‘Together’ is a quiet story which is nevertheless marked by a powerful and empathic voice. Munmun, a single parent and thus, the sole earner of her family, is a domestic help who is out of work because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Without making it explicit, the film presents the dire financial straits of the protagonist who has not made rent in two months. 

Consequently, one day when an opportunity knocks on the door, living for a week at the house of an unwell couple, she is quick to take it, leaving her two young children by themselves at home. The lady of the house, taking care of her Covid-stricken husband, is cold and unkind in her approach to the hardworking Munmun. 

Along with the many difficulties which the pandemic presented to people across the spectrum, both the privileged and otherwise, the film also offers a trajectory of kindness, from standoffishness to concern to an eventual softening of the heart. However, the question intrinsic to the narrative remains that when this kindness finally arrives, would it be enough, and would it be in time?

Together | 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 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 thematic concern at the heart of the narrative is one about class disparity, financial privilege, along with a suggestion of more wealth leading to more problems. All of this is explored through the eyes of a young man who struggles between his aspiration to complete higher education, and the demands of his father to run their small corner tea-shop. From his position from behind the counter, he watches a wealthy peer live the life that seems a million miles away. However, a longer glimpse into the latter's life brings a seismic change in his perspective, also making the intentions of the plot clear for the viewer. The film evidences potential in weaving a plot marked by its compelling motivations (albeit in want of a little polishing when it comes to execution), and paves the path for more similar projects by the team.

See Saw | Short Film Nominee

Made as a montage of glossy visuals, the short film endeavours to draw the viewer's attention to a more disturbing reality. The coronavirus pandemic has ensured that people get confined to their homes globally, and the film is a portrayal of the same. It opens on a fairly harmless note, but progresses faster than the viewer has expected so far. The film does not give in to sentimentalism or loud visuals to convey its message. Instead, it manages to invoke the right amount of discomfort, strong enough to spur the viewer into action, by an image, for instance, as simple as perfectly delicious looking food being pushed into a dustbin without a second thought. Aimed at reminding the viewer of being aware of their privilege, the film does its bit to highlight the plight of the less fortunate in a world currently struggling to get back on its feet.

Privileged Lockdown | Short Film Nominee

Though the Covid-19 pandemic ushered in havoc of devastating degrees, not all parts of society were affected by it in equal proportions. The short film does a notable job of portraying the same reality, without weighing itself down with sentimentalism. There is employment of a fast-paced, smooth edit, coupled with a complementary choice of visuals that enable it to convey this message lucidly. 
The title has made clear the reality of the protagonist who busies himself cooking elaborate delicacies as soon as the lockdown hits, followed by ordering in equally fancy and expensive food. However, even for him, fortunes take a toss and he is left without a job, and thus, enough money to order the food he used to earlier. Barely making it through on basic essentials, he does find the raft that allows him to finally float to the safety of a harbor in this storm, allowing the narrative to eventually come full circle.

Privileged | Short Film Nominee

The short film opens with a man's point of view and his observations of a woman from afar, constructing an entire narrative about her life for both himself as well the viewer. This poetic narrative is further marked by skilled visuals, interweaved with the dialogues in a smooth and seamless way. If the film has given the impression of being simplistic so far, it is intentional. It has deliberately led the viewer to a place diametrically opposite to where it actually wants to locate itself, thereby making its conclusion more impactful and notable. In the process, it manages to offer a relevant comment on not simply our own perceptions and assumptions, but also assault and violence against women, and the manner in which society stereotypes and views them.

Nazariya | Short Film Nominee

The film introduces the viewer to a powerful protagonist in the form of an aspiring rap artist. Keeping him unnamed throughout as a deliberate decision, the narratorial progression offers an intimate, long glimpse into his life. It is marked by financial tribulations which robbed the young performer of the privilege of truly pursuing his art, and yet, the twinkle in his eye and the cheer of his smiles are unmissable and insurmountable even in the face of all difficulty. 

The film, due to its raw edges in the department of sound and the inconsistency of visuals, attains an informality, but the voice of its beautifully impactful protagonist remains undiminished amidst it all.

Jo Khudse Socha Hain | Short Film Nominee

The short film opens on a harmless note, a man asking his domestic help to fetch him ghee from the kitchen. However, before the viewer can write the scene off as a mundane occurrence in a regular Indian household, the unease of the help is made clear. She is distracted and lost, perhaps preoccupied with something darker and more disconcerting. The plot develops to reveal a lovely juxtaposition of privilege and deprivation, of a cushy urban existence that talks of slight weight gains and lazing around the house, alongside a migrant labourer crisis of a country that battles a pandemic. The contrast is foregrounded in a potent manner, allowing the film to succeed at putting forth its concerns notably before the audience.

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