Ali is faced with the indomitable task of tying loose ends after the death of a family member, his sister, Mahra. The subsequent story that comes into existence is a moody thriller about societal pressures, and more importantly, a fractured psyche that can follow in the wake of all of these pressures. 
Ali is left powerless in the face of what is expected of him, and how he must navigate his family’s position which is now incontrovertibly tied to his sister’s suicide. The crushing fear of the truth coming out is palpable in the portrayal of the protagonist, alongside an equally complementary performance that brings him to life. 

If on the one hand, there is concealment of the true causes of Mahra's death, in a bid to protect the family’s reputation and sense of honor, on the other hand, is a grieving brother with no time and space for his pain to be dealt with. The chasm between what one wants to do and what is expected of them is allowed a notable portrayal in the film. The narrative handles the intensity and the direness of the circumstance that Ali battles with earnestness, alongside deliberate stylistic choices of visuals and background score, to further embellish the storytelling, making the film an engaging watch.

The Apartment | Spotlight

Trigger warning: self-harm 

‘Flash/Crash’ is an intimate exploration of trauma, loss and the grief that gets left behind in its wake. All of these complex emotional states are tied with substance abuse and addiction, to paint a world that is initially marked by darkness. 

The film thus maps a trajectory from the bleakness of despair to perhaps what could be an eventual attainment of hope and a new lease of life. Whether or not the protagonist is capable of achieving it becomes one of the core concerns of the plot, with the answer being pronounced alongside the film’s message at the conclusion. 

The tight, hand-held shots enable the narrative to present a heartfelt portrayal of the intimacy invoked at the start while giving the viewer a hard, long look at the realities of primarily two characters. Both performances are defined by skill, in the process, ensuring that the film achieves completion in a lucid, seamless manner.

Flash/Crash | Short Film of the Day

The other devastating pandemic that accompanied the staggering spread of the Covid-19 virus was of mental health. Not only did it lead people to develop serious mental health issues, including anxiety, paranoia and depression, but it also caused a disturbing rise in suicidal tendencies. 

 When many of us found ourselves stranded away from loved ones, we turned to other distractions for, albeit temporary and eventually exhausting and dysfunctional, comfort. The narrative of Pul (Bridge) wants to engage with all of these concerns by revealing to us the workaholism of its protagonist, Arjun. 

He is a radio jockey who runs a bilingual show in Los Angeles. As relationships in his life lie in tatters because of the long hours he spends drowning himself in work, an important realization lurks around the corner of the night on which the story opens. After chatting with callers throughout, it is time for the final caller of the show, one who would make Arjun pause and reassess the entire manner in which he has been approaching his life so far.

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