Dry Day is a modern take on frail father-son relationships, and how little gestures can go a long way in mending them. Shashank Arora and Shishir Sharma are both brilliant as the loner young son and the awkward sweet father respectively. This short film will surely leave you with a smile.

Dry Day | Short Film of the Day

The story is of a saleswoman visiting three different houses to convince three potential customers to try her Mamta Tonic. She is giggly, chatty and determined to sell her product. The narrative of the film is skilfully written and achieved with the protagonist moulded in an artful manner. However, a dark twist awaits this seemingly mundane activity of door-to-door retail. The unpredictable plot further accentuates the intelligence of Mamta Tonic, bound to leave the viewer shook in their seat.

Mamta Tonic | Short Film of the Day

The short film takes us into the life of Snehal,a young boy trying to survive in a world that expects him to adjust at every step. From his name to his clothes to his house - everything becomes a matter of adjustment. As the protagonist moves from one aspect of his life to another, will he find an escape from this web of constant compromises? Perhaps the answer lies in a plate of khichdi when he asked for biryani instead. Why We Love Adjusting is beautifully shot, written and structured with endearing performances and an effervescent voice-over. It's exactly the kind of wholesome content you need on a rainy day.

Why We Love Adjusting | Short Film of the Day

Rear View is an easy, free-flowing narrative which might initially make the viewer impatient, but give it just some more time and you’ll be rewarded. Filmmakers have tried time and again to show a conversation between strangers during a car ride in a poignant manner. While some succeed at it, others not so much. This short film definitely falls in the first category for the simple reason that it does not try hard to be anything else than what it is - a conversation between two people, confined by the start and end of a cab ride. While a busy professional is headed to catch a flight for a work trip, his driver soon receives a call to find out that his pregnant wife just went into premature labour. The story is not a new one, even the manner in which it’s told is not unique. Yet, the innocence and the honesty of the narrative ring deep and true with the viewer, and become the greatest strength of the film in the process.

Rear View | Short Film of the Day

The short film is beautifully inspired by Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis in which the protagonist wakes up to find himself transformed into a cockroach. Borrowing the same metaphor, it attempts to show how humans are no less than insects in an arbitrary, murky world of poverty, chronic diseases and the constant struggle to survive. The colour palette of the visuals is of dirty greens, browns and greys, to further invoke a sense of filthiness associated with insects, or humans who are not rendered any more valuable than them in a society where a father and his son fight with the latter's oral cancer. Amidst these hues of dirt and filth, the red scarf of the boy stands out. It perhaps serves to draw the viewer's attention to how he comes to be the only voice of hope in the narrative. However, this voice is soon snuffed out since a bright crimson has no place amidst illness and pain, a folly that will be realised immediately, but not soon enough.

Metamorphosis  | Short Film of the Day

Starring the brilliant Saqib Saleem, Aamad is a poignant little film that is sure to tug at your heartstrings. It is amazing how it touches upon various themes in such a short time - inheritance, loss and frail societal notions of masculinity.

Aamad | Short Film of the Day

Some of the most beautiful stories are the saddest and the short film goes ahead to prove that. School Bag, as the name suggests, revolves around one inane object that a seven-year-old child dearly desires as a birthday gift. Of course his loving mother would try to ensure that he is the happiest boy on his birthday. However, at the heart of this unadulterated happiness, lies a deeply moving tragedy. Based on true events, the Peshawar school massacre that took place on 16th December 2014, the short film touches the right chord with the viewer without even remotely falling prey to sentimentalism. One of the major reasons for this is the effortlessly convincing performance by Rasika Dugal as a young mother, busying herself for her son's birthday preparations. The film also portrays that the victims of mindless violence and terrorism are not simply confined to a community, nationality or age group, and that pain cuts the same gash universally.

The School Bag | Short Film of the Day

Jeetu has a Goa trip planned for Diwali instead of going home. However, his parents cannot know that which is why when they insist on doing the Diwali puja over video-call, the situation spirals out of control. The short film is hilarious without trying too hard. This is precisely what works in the narrative's favour - it does not attempt to be anything it's not. There are primarily two frames, the father and the son on their respective ends of the phone call which are coupled with lighthearted writing. As the conversation unfolds between them, what would be Jeetu's fate - secret trip to Goa or Diwali with family?

Long Distance Celebrations | Short Film of the Day

Cheers is a lot about covering distances, between alcoholism and being a teetotalism, conflict and reconciliation, running away and finding your way back. The short film portrays this with Ali Faizal and Anju Mahendru as the most convincing mother-son duo. The narrative is engaging and elegant and it has skilled cinematography and writing to thank for it. Add to it just the right amount of music and voila! You have a satisfying and wholesome piece of art on your hands.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links