Special feature: 12 must-watch short films

With the expanding influence of digital media and internet , the fame of short films are exponentially enthralling more viewers. Such short films are becoming one of the most favoured forms of storytelling among audiences. With minimalist budget and magnetic story line, short films are able to establish a plot in a nominal span of time. These short films are also delving on giving a fresh perspective and vista of delivering a compelling message.

The fame and growing need of short films have also paved way for budding and amateur filmmakers and has led to a new industry in entertainment sector which deals with bite-sized content. Lately, short films is gaining popularity and has become mainstream in Indian entertainment industry owing to prominent filmmakers and actors getting associated with it. BizAsiaLive.com brings to you a treasury of some of the most appealing and thought provoking short films.

‘Ahalya’ (2015)
The ‘Kahaani’ (2012) fame Sujoy Ghosh directed this Bengali short film ‘Ahalya’. It is an epic thriller and is conceptualised on the epic lore of Ramayana. This 14 minutes film is riddled with suspense and stars Radhika Apte and Soumitra Chatterjee. The plot is well encapsulated and pinches the audience with its twists and turns.

‘Anukul’ (2017)
Based on the short story of Satyajit Ray, ‘Anukul’ is another directed by Ghosh starring Saurabh Shukla and Parambrata Chatterjee. It is a scientific thriller that transports the audience to the world where artificial intelligence has the power to take-over mankind. A dark ironical tale, ‘Anukul’ is futuristic, dystopian and provokes the audience to think about the possibilities that is on the verge of turning into a reality.

‘Chhuri’ (2017)
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, ‘Chhuri’ takes a fresh outlook on women and her journey from a victim to a victor. The story is about a typical housewife who is aware of her husband’s philandering ways but soon turns the table to her own benefits. The plot creates curiosity which transpires into a twist and is perfectly blended with touch of reality.

‘Chutney’ (2016)
A short film directed by Jyoti Kapur Das, ‘Chutney’ is a piece on clandestine middle class surrounded by the wall of decay in an edgy and anxious Delhi locality. The repelling yet intriguing is the underlying theme of ‘Chutney’ which fondly forms a ghoulish connection between death and food. Tisca Chopra’s raw and applauding performance and her way of spinning the yarn throughout to keep the grip tighter is the highlight of this short film. The middle class texture layered with murderous atmospheric devices gives ‘Chutney’ an ethereal feel to it.

‘El’ayichi’ (2015)
A short film which is an ode to death and bereavement. It’s a comical dark satire on the theme of ignorance and acceptance of death. With humorous dialogues and comic play by the protagonist, ‘El’ayichi’ tries to convey how its difficult for one to move on from the death of loved ones and how we keep holding on to the memory of the one’s departed.

‘Interior Cafe Night’ (2014)
Set in a fanciful yet peculiar little cafe, the film is a story of two middle-aged lovers reuniting after three long decades. A narrative of two young lovers in the cafe on a date runs parallel with the main premise. Adhiraj Bose’s 13 minute film channels a sterile feeling of love slipping away. The final punch at the end makes the story all the more real and relatable.

‘Juice’ (2017)
A short film deeply ingrained in the culturally patriarchy setup, ‘Juice’ is a sketch on male chauvinism and misogyny. The ordinary life of a housewife who left her career to take care of family is what brings out the extraordinary in the plot. The wife cleaning leftovers juxtaposed with drunk men rambling accelerates the theme of the story. The film is a snapshot of those Indian women who left their dreams behind to serve the desires of the family. The film ends on a powerful note with woman taking a stand for herself without any talking.

‘Kriti’ (2016)
‘Kriti’ is a psychological thriller that plays with the mind of audience. The film leaves audience guessing the existence of each character. ‘Kriti’ is about a mentally ill character who seeks help from his childhood buddy also a psychiatrist. The story keeps unfolding with various turns and twist leaving one curious and gripped till the end. The star studded performance by Manoj Bajpayee, Radhika Apte and Neha Sharma is nail biting and extremely electrifying.

‘Nayantara’s Necklace’ (2014)
Never judge a book by its cover is the essence of the film. Two diametrically opposite characters comes together to show us the meaning that all that glitters is not gold. Being carried away by luxury and ways of high class society, the short film makes us wonder about life and its underlying meaning.

‘Ouch’ (2016)
Directed by Neeraj Pandey, ‘Ouch’ is a rendition on extramarital affair gone completely wrong. A drama with a tint of dark comedy, ‘Ouch’ is worth the 13 minutes time spent. Protagonist played by Manoj Bajpayee does justice with his brilliant comic timing. A hard hitting short film with a dash of humour turns the table on a man-woman relation.

‘Rogan Josh’ (2018)
Set on an event that took away lives of many leaving their families grieving for years is what ‘Rogan Josh’ conveys in 17 minutes. The story is layered with a surreal atmosphere with anxious silences that builds up the plot line. The ensembles cast and subtle hints throughout the film cooks and prepares the audience for the shocking revelation. Winner of best short film fiction 2019 by Filmfare, ‘Rogan Rosh’ cuts your wounds deep and leaves the audience with a sense of remorse.

‘Shameless’ (2018)
‘Shameless’ is a thriller about a boy who is always hooked to his smartphone. His constant ordering of food online leads him to trouble. The film is a take on an arrogant man whose world revolves around his phone. ‘Shameless’ tries to pass a message to the youth about the dark-side of consistent use of internet, the lethargy & loneliness it brings around and how we take things and people for granted.

By Survi Agarwal