A man who runs a small flour mill finds himself at a strange crossroads when technology threatens to make him obsolete. As we follow the protagonist through his day, and customers come and go, it is a sack of mass-produced, machine-ground wheat that becomes the antagonist of the story. 

The film does an expert job of portraying this dynamic between a man who religiously follows his vocation and a swiftly changing world where people become increasingly impatient. The screenplay is constructed with attention to detail, mapping and sustaining the entire developing story with control. The narrative allows no dialogue to the protagonist, and yet, shares a skilled portrayal and communication of an entire array of emotions. 

The end result does not bog itself down with a technology-versus-tradition conflict, and instead only presents a moment with earnestness. The entire cast and crew exhibit seamlessness in bringing it to life, making the authenticity of the said moment its most notable triumph.

Chakkiwala  | Short Film of the Month

The film essentially wants to be a conversation on tradition and modernity, choosing to locate itself in the cultural ethos of Tamil Nadu. It brings up jallikattu, a traditional event of the state which made headlines in the country as protests erupted against it in the recent past. It also wants to communicate the message about preserving your cultural inheritance for overall progress and growth of an identity that is rooted in that culture. However, the film only offers its desires, intention, and the problems that obstruct them. It initiates a dialogue, but does not cover the entire distance of providing definite solutions for the same. Perhaps this aspect could be explored further by the filmmaker in their future projects.

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