A common thread for all successful romance stories are the nuances and subtleties that are employed in telling them. Among its other strengths, this is the first thing Kaande Pohe captures most effortlessly. Add to it convincing performances and chemistry, and there is little that can go wrong. The scene is set for a meeting between two families for the arranged marriage of their children. This in itself is not an entirely unique subject matter for a short film. However, when the film manages to still tell its story in a completely new fashion, it deserves all the brownie points. It is further a comment on the deep infestation of technology, smartphones and social media in every aspect of our lives. 
 While the previous generation, or as the internet would call them, "boomers", fail to understand the charm of these modern values, seemingly in direct contrast with the sanskaar that is expected of a young woman preparing to get married, the millennials have decided to sink their heels deep into the ground, refusing to budge. With its lovely colour palettes, calm storytelling and honesty in building the narrative, the film is the warm fuzzies you need this Valentine's Week.

Kaande Pohe | Short Film of the Day

The film is rightly titled The Ride for what a ride it is! Essentially, the premise is defined by the collision of two unlikely strangers shooting an Instagram Reel. However, within it rest several thematic concerns that bring to life a conflict between passion and practical, professional demands. It invokes the idea of virality, something that has given rise to a new currency in the contemporary world. If you do manage to accumulate a significant amount of the same, irrespective of your disdain for the medium, an important realization awaits you - that you are not as impervious to its charms as you thought. The film begins with a ride that Arjun is sharing with his colleague, one who is about to break to him a bitter news - he has been fired from his job from their agency due to his inability to deliver Reel videos according to the client's wishes. And yet, at the heels of all the despair, a pivotal development follows. Leaving this world of advertising and corporate control behind in his colleague's car, Arjun now steps into the colorful shadows of an auto whose shimmer refuses to be dulled (even in the face of Arjun's explicit request to turn off the glaring light). This marks the protagonist's journey away from his comfort zone of order and fixed ideas about creativity. It is what lies on the other side of this experience that conveys the film's core message, tying all of the aforementioned thematic concerns with an uplifting sense of hope.

The Ride | Short Film of the Month

The story of the film opens on a dark note, both literally and figuratively. A seemingly homeless man, perhaps out on a trip of rag-picking, stumbles across an unconscious girl along an isolated road. Since her limbs are tied and her mouth is covered with tape, she is completely at his mercy. However, despite the atmosphere of foreboding being established so far, not only does he untie her, but also comes across as being indifferent to her presence. The first thing the girl mentions when she is untied is to ask for a phone while showing little to no signs of unease with the strange man before her. We learn more about her as the narrative progresses, revealing her to be a TikTok celebrity. At the same time, the film also wants to tell a story of sociopaths, violence and brutal deaths. Though it could have achieved this a little more effortlessly with better utilisation of its lighting, and visual clarity, all of these elements still eventually come together to give way to a very sinister set of events in an attempt to horrify its audience.

Most Viewed

Genres

Awards

Follow Us

Quick Links