On a seemingly regular afternoon, a man exploits a hapless chaat-seller along a roadside, as two school-girls discuss a recent accident that had taken place near-by. While the former exchange can still fall within the boundaries of a mundane encounter, defined by stinginess and helplessness, the mention of the accident hints at something darker unfolding simultaneously. 

The film’s world-building thereafter remains gradual, marked by an eeriness that is aided greatly by a careful choice of the background score, as well as a crucial, strong performance by Akhilendra Mishra. 

With the progression of the story, the protagonist continues to stumble across crisp notes of twenty rupees as he continues on his path. Unable to look away, he finds them in a murky pool of water or in obscure spots high up in the air. Despite frantic calls from his impatient daughter, he still refuses to focus on the path, until he reaches a point from where there is no turning back. The journey thus mapped out by the narrative is engaging, involving, and at last, deeply shocking.

Bārāt | Short Film of the Month

Spread over dual chapters, with perhaps also the promise of subsequent parts, 'A Tale of an Onion Witch' presents a sinister story of constant requests for onions. You read that right, but how can something as inane as onions be the primary concern of a horror story, you ask? Well, that's indeed what the film answers for you. The question you should be asking instead is that when a young woman or a little girl comes knocking at your door in the darkness of the night, asking for some onions, would you answer? 

 Throughout the duration of the film, there is an instinctive desire to keep checking over one's shoulder for any unusual movements, to always be wary of sounds outside the door, and that is precisely what concretises the success of this horror story; more so in the first part than the second. This is not to say that the latter is any less worthy of the points it scores, but that the former does a more notable job of establishing its premise. 

The first part uses jump scares, but judiciously. The camera employs tight close-ups, hiding more than it reveals which further adds an elemental tension to the film. There is an old woman, with explicitly pronounced dark circles, and a contemporary witch with long hair and dirt-coloured nails. However, it is not difficult to overlook the absence of subtleties simply because of the manner in which the narrative hooks you to it, especially owing to its smooth edit. Terrified you may be, but can you dare to look away? 

As you struggle to answer this question, time moves forth and we are presented with the subsequent chapter. A newly married, unsuspecting couple runs into a woman who shares the same name as the key player of the horrible events that had unfolded in the previous part - Mangla. However, unlike her namesake, she is minus the ravages of old age or the aforementioned dark circles. 

The narrative, once again, ropes in unexpected characters and elements to conjure an atmosphere of chills and eeriness, this time marked by a tighter, smoother control on its visuals, and more pronounced humor. The cast now also includes a little girl forming an unmissable and disturbing presence at the heart of all the action that was previously orchestrated entirely by adults. There is violence, blood and once again the question that holds immense power over the fate of the hapless characters - would they open the door when an innocent voice asks for some good, old onions?

A Tale of an Onion Witch | Short Film Nominee

The short film by Vikram Bhatt is the story of four strangers who are forced to take shelter in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere due to a snow blizzard. It opens with a gory scene of an attack on a boy called Karthik. Before any sense can be made of what's going on, the narrative goes six hours back in time. It continues to oscillate between the past and the present, keeping the viewer on tenterhooks all along. Use of toys in shadows, perhaps reminiscent of the iconic slasher series Saw, is one of the many tools that help add to the eeriness of the setting. As attacks begin on them one by one, perhaps in a desperate attempt to rationalise it, they're immediately chalked down to being caused by a wild animal. Soon after, the question of the supernatural soon enters the narrative. However, how far are they from the truth, and more importantly, is any escape possible even if they manage to figure it out?

Let's Play | Short Film of the Day

The film opens with a tight close up, a phone call and a lighthearted, fleeting engagement with the idea of gluttony, completely obscuring the plot developments that would come to haunt the viewer. Soon a premise is also put in place - a couple has recently moved into a new house where the previous tenants left almost all their belongings behind. There is further the mention of a microwave and the foul smell that has accompanied it. Little do you realise at first glance that it would be this seemingly inane object, an appliance, around which the entire plot would come to pivot. Events follow in quick successions thereafter as strange sounds begin to fill the space on screen, followed by disappearing pieces of meat. In the meantime, the man is also unable to locate his wife who had left earlier to attend a relative's funeral. The narrative of the film is interestingly constructed with moments that range from unease and thrill to extreme disconcertment, allowing it to be an entertaining and involving experience for the viewer.

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