A woman arrives at an unknown location, all by herself, to meet a strange man. This is the image which is offered to the viewer right at the start of the film. She is unsure, worried and deeply afraid of something, and yet, she continues her endeavor - interviewing a serial killer, a mentally unbalanced, deranged man who has a past of violence, both inflicted on and by him. 

The film employs a limited physical space, the entirety of the conversation unfolding without the characters moving from their position right until the end. And yet the fear and unease that the narrative manages to instill in the viewer is powerful and notable. Consequently, Atrangi becomes a product that simply utilizes its writing and performances to invoke an atmosphere of horror. 

 A sense of something sinister being afoot never leaves you throughout the film, making you deeply concerned about the fate of the woman who sits before this man who, on the other hand, is recounting all his crimes and acts of cruelty with absolute nonchalance. It is in this use of few resources, minus any garish tools and devices, to successfully communicate its story, that the true success of the film lies, keeping you engaged and involved all along. The film could have gained from more control on the lucidity of its visuals. However, the uncertainty about the fate of the characters preoccupies you instead of its technical aspects, further ensuring that when the revelation finally arrives, it is a conclusion befitting the premise set so far.

Atrangi | Short Film of the Day

A psychopath is ruminating his next kill, and the viewer is allowed to join him in this enthusiastic, detailed musing. A woman is coming over for a romantic dinner, completely oblivious to imminent events. The narrative, thus, comes to offer a parallel development of the internal workings of the protagonist’s mind, alongside the very external conversation and dinner unfolding between him and the woman. The end result earns points for its approach as well as stylistic choices that triumph the story or plot. The door is definitely left open for further stabs at playing around with the former, making it interesting to see where more such creative pursuits can lead.

Élan | Short Film Nominee

It's the short narrative's endeavor to glimpse into the darkness of the human mind. Adopting a first-person approach, it introduces us to a serial killer who is addicted to the crimson blood of his victims. There is dedicated effort to portray the various violent acts he commits on screen, alongside a voiceover that shares the motivations behind these acts and all that the protagonist seeks to achieve from his killings. Remorse and guilt are completely absent, what remains is only an adrenaline rush and the pursuit of seeking the next when it is over. The attempt, thus, is to put these various elements together in the form of a completed whole.

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