Set in Karachi, Pakistan, the film conjures a seedy world of crime, betrayal and violence. Kashif is suspected to be a rat by his boss, the formidable, mysterious and all powerful Baba Jee. He sits before Khawar, an old-time partner who owes his life to him.

The film primarily keeps itself confined to the same physical space, employing lighting and shadows to conjure a realm defined by secrets, grunginess and the constant threat of violence that lurks insidiously under the surface. The exchange between the two characters exhibits ease in terms of chemistry, and deep potential in terms of writing. 

The background score supports the endeavor most remarkably. The young filmmaker has identified the voice and tonality he should bring to his projects, and should indeed stay with it for future endeavors. It would be quite wonderful indeed to see what more creative pursuits come out of this overlap.

Baba Jee | Short Film of the Day

The protagonist of 'Phir Wahi Raat' is named after a dual-headed snake, Dvivaktr, suggesting a sense of duality that would come to define the rest of the narrative. As he finds himself at the centre of a strange experience, the story begins to stretch its limbs. Dvivaktr's dreams bleed into his reality, one more nightmarish than the other. His world comes to be constituted by violent events of murder, rape, bloody injuries, and yet none of it seems real enough to be acknowledged as a lived experience beyond the realm of dreams, albeit disconcerting. In the process, the storytelling, despite a few undercooked components, exhibits definite potential as the final result is presented thus. At the end of it all, an important piece of information, provided to the viewer like several crucial bits of information throughout the narrative, by way of radio announcers in the background, goes ahead to imply the causes behind the fractured psyche of the protagonist. All of these elements are thus weaved in a notable manner, presenting to you a devoted endeavor in executing the plot and its intentions.

Phir Wahi Raat | Short Film of the Day

The subject matter that ‘Orange Candy’ deals with is dark and disconcerting, far from the world of chirpiness and frivolity its title conjures, and deliberately so. Its only characters, two little boys, discuss matters of life and death, and what existence could potentially mean thereafter, all along savoring an orange lolly. 

The conversation, and the speakers that conduct it, offer a distinct contrast, a juxtaposition that is indubitably the biggest strength of the film. Additionally, its writing and screenplay exhibit thought and attention to detail. 

The two ensure that though the reality of a terminal illness and the tragedy of loss is something beyond the years of the two boys, they are tenacious and dedicated in their understanding of friendship and in their attempts to comprehend the harsh realities life has presented to them a little too soon.

Orange Candy | Short Film Nominee

In a world where despair often seems to reign free and things appear bleak and despondent, stories about kindness and hope gain a renewed significance. The short film is an endearing and heartwarming example of one such story. An old woman, one day, hears her neighbor talking about a sum of money and how Krishna, a Hindu god worshipped by several Indians, has sent it to her in reply to a letter. Our protagonist thus gets determined to send out a letter of her own, also requesting the god for a small amount of money, to the utmost shock of her neighbor's son who she has roped in to write and post it. The film has an intimate tone throughout, along with a portrayal of the deep devotion towards divinity and the childlike wonder that people often develop in old age. There is further an efficient utilisation of limited resources to tell a simple, but compelling story with a sweet message at its core. Additionally, Dear Lord Krishna, evidently a sincere and dedicated attempt at storytelling, leaves the door open for more projects of the kind by the young filmmaker, Jhanvi Gadhvi.

Dear Lord Krishna | Short Film of the Day

At a teeming platform where people are warned against traveling on the roofs of trains to avoid electrocution, and the overflowing crowd simply steps off a moving train, with little to no concern for their safety, it is evident that the sight has the potential of leading you to innumerable stories. The narrative instead chooses to focus on a single character - the incandescent Bittoo Escobar (even though she would instead prefer the name of a goddess of illusions). 

Bittoo's world is constituted by her small, but undeniable presence in a crowded Indian city, where hoardings of cosmetics with air-brushed faces are aplenty. It is a city of 'amazement' parks where the young woman is ready to take on the world. An indispensable part of the fisherwomen community, she is involved in small-time seedy drug deals, surviving with fearlessness and an iron-will until an unfortunate encounter with a cop. 

The film allows two parallel plot lines to develop simultaneously, one of Bittoo's exchange with the cop, another about the situations that led her to this point. Both are allowed an existence in a universe which is crowded enough to send you in an emotional overdrive in times of a pandemic, and yet, located at the centre of all the chaos, further presented to you using bright visuals accompanied by a high-paced narrative, Bittoo Escobar stands firmly on her two feet, determined and raring to go.

Bittoo Escobar | Short Film Nominee

Bright blues, yellows and greens take us into the world of 'The Confidant'. The story of a homemaker, the film constructs for us a space that is lighthearted and cheery, and very much deceptively so. The direction and the eventual aim of the narrative is indeed far from that, drawing our attention to a very important social cause. However, before we delve into the darker realities, it is important to acquaint ourselves with the protagonist - a woman who exudes effervescence and a zest for life. Through the series of conversations she has with an unnamed, unknown person on her phone, we see the first hints of an existence marked by loneliness and isolation in a seemingly loveless marriage. It will be this very tone of emotional emptiness that will be echoed throughout, despite the visuals conveying otherwise. As these two contrasting realities - that of energy and bleakness - overlap, the final intention of the film is realized. The narrative reaches fruition, the plot is complete and the viewer is finally allowed the truth about the unnamed person who has been the protagonist's companion all along.

The Confidant | Short Film Nominee

The narrative portrays for the viewer the struggles of a woman to stay afloat and take care of her family in the face of pressing financial trouble. The same is delineated through the course of one day, before she heads out to work as a domestic help, and the unexpected, unfortunate turn the consequent progression of events takes for her soon after. 

Bena works for a household that is in the whirlwind of planning their daughter's wedding. However, they are not entirely dismissive of their help's problems who they try to look out for amidst their own preoccupations. Things seem to be working out for our protagonist when, following a fateful series of developments, expensive jewelry goes missing from the house and Bena finds herself in the police's immediate line of suspicion. 

The events that follow, allow the film to make a pertinent comment about the many cultural forces and the manner in which they get tied with class in the Indian society. Additionally, there is the suggestion of how the tug and pull of these elements influence and mould the identity of the marginalized, and the extent to which they might be willing to go to secure their social location, especially in the face of dire circumstances. Further, the film exhibits notable visuals and a sincere devotion to storytelling, leaving one with the promise of more similar projects by the team.

Bena | Short Film Nominee

The short film is a quiet, sombre story of longing, separation, and above all, love and relationships. The approach adopted to share the plot and its thematic concerns employs dance, calm music and an engagement with the protagonist's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, instead of interacting with it from a psychological perspective, the film chooses a philosophical path, and brings to life the portrayal of a lover unable to let go of his beloved. As the narrative comes to focus on Seher, a character we never interact with directly, a reality of constantly changing companions is invoked. The protagonist continues to share his memories of Seher with them, each interaction accompanied with a different emotion - from anger and exasperation to openness and acceptance and casual indulgence. The narrative wants to conjure a poetic reality to communicate its core message, and thus, further employs symbols in the form of colors and recurring objects like flower petals. The film is layered, exhibiting skill and potential, but on the whole, would have gained from a little more lucidity in the final product, enabling it to go further than where it already is.

Seher | Short Film Nominee

The short film deals with the dynamics of the familial space and how conflict comes to define it. The story adopted to engage with the same is a sweet narrative about two little brothers. They spend several fun days and afternoons together, busying themselves with different activities - from making paper planes to cycling around their neighborhood to playing Jenga. However, one day, an unexpected turn of events leads to a rift between the siblings. Unsure how to proceed, they are inclined to burying the hatchet, but are hesitant to move forward with their efforts. In the process, the film becomes an honest endeavour to explore, understand and present to the viewer the many complexities of the innocent world of childhood. The film then invokes the reality of our pandemic-stricken world which leads to a bigger trouble in the family's life. How will the inane paper plane, then, become a symbol of friendship and bonding, followed by a dispute, and then eventual union? The film raises the same question and offers an answer as well for the viewer in its own endearing manner.

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