Short films in India have now become the most exciting medium for budding
filmmakers to showcase their talent. It is a kind of plausible gateway to
Bollywood yet the route is not very painless to travel. Some do get worthy appreciations
and recommendations from the biggies in the profession but most succumb to
being just a YouTube or Vimeo link waiting forever to get noticed, irrespective
of the quality of their content. CHAAR CUTTING is another kind. If the promising
works of Anuj Gulati, Hardik Mehta, Vivek Soni and Vijayeta Kumar could see the
light of the day and get a theatrical release, the credit goes to the makers
themselves. Bravo, for going that extra mile!
Anuj Gulati directs MANILA RUNNING- a short based in Manila, Philippines.
An outsider lands in the city to get his nose-job done. Don’t bother to get the
back-story! Stick with the place where everyone looks so household to crime you
might have to run all day to save you in one piece. Even the only safe-house in
the city is not so friendly but then what choice you are left with? Anuj
handles the subject flawlessly to give you a fearsome drama mixed well with a
pinch of deadpan humor. It has an interesting flair of psychotic thriller but somehow
leaves you half-contented with a hurriedly done climax.
Hardik Mehta’s SKIN DEEP sees Naveen Kasturia and Aditi Vasudev as a couple
soon to be married. All has been planned, just a minor operation for ‘circumcision’
and the placard is ready to cover the screen with ‘…And they lived happily ever
after’. This is a story written by an unlikely Vikramaditya Motwane and based
in Mumbai where literally, anything can happen. Over-dramatic, convenient and forcibly
audacious SKIN DEEP is watchable only because of its lead actors. Naveen and
Aditi both are superbly natural, reliable and convincing.
BAWDI throws you in the deserted, drought affected land where love
suffers the consequences of the lack of water in the village. The Cola Company in
the native has sucked all the water leaving not so many options for the dwellers.
At the stake is the love. Vivek paints the frame with excruciating conditions
of a former who doesn’t want to leave his land and a son who’s stuck between
his love and the life. This looks a complete film at its own, with a prefect hand
at sound-designing, songs, costumes, locations, cinematography and direction as
well.
But the cherry on the cake is definitely BLOUSE by Vijayeta Kumar! Sounds
like an old folktale; it has a certain kind of honesty, simplicity and Indianness.
A newly-wed bride wants a perfect-fit blouse on her first Karwa-chauth made by
a famous tailor. Now, this could be the ‘first impression’ chance for the
husband to ensure his love for the lady. The problem is that the husband doesn’t
have a size-sample for the measurement purpose. Rest is a hilarious peek-a-boo
at simple yet loveable situations in order to get the gift of love. Sumeet Vyas
as the husband is terrific. Imran Rasheed as the tailor is perfectly cast.
Having said that, CHAAR CUTTING is not a typical cinema-outing! At the
end of the day, these 4 are nothing but short-films. Don’t expect to have an
orgasmic experience! Also, the ticket-price [I spent 300 bucks] might make you
unsure about your choice but I would say if you can afford it, buy it. Watching
talents in the making, before they could make it always feels good. [3/5]
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