A few decades back a woman with a voice was unheard of and frowned upon. Today it is uncommon to find a woman without a voice of her own. The roots of patriarchy are deep yet they are slowly fading away. We are striving towards a future filled with equality. But the real question is how okay are we with being equal when the situation is not so convenient for us? Being a feminist or a person who believes in gender equality only when it is an advantage to them, can that be called being a true feminist? Delivery Girl tries to bring it to our attention.

Delivery Girl- A Glimpse

Directed by Sreejoni Nag, Delivery Girl narrates an unexpected encounter that ends up being an eye-opener for an entire generation. The story starts off with an argument between a couple wherein the wife who has a stable job is enraged by her husband’s decision to just leave his job to follow his dream. Normal right? If you thought so, now you know why you need to watch the short film. 

Fast forward, and we meet the delivery girl who brings into focus the double-edged sword of patriarchy that hurts both genders, male and female alike. Agreed that edge on the female’s end is sharper than the one on the male’s but that still doesn’t make the experience any better. The film tried to bring out the true essence of feminism which is equal opportunities and stance for men and women. So, if a man decides to quit his job and become a house husband while relying on his wife and following his dreams, why is the idea still so appalling?

Does Delivery Girl Deliver?

Given that many would probably find the initial 3 mins quarrel in the film normal, just goes to show how the gender-norm bending Bollywood movie Ki & Ka has begun to lose its charm. Being a true feminist doesn’t just imply you should get a good education and a job, it means you’re truly independent and can support others as well. And yes, “the others” does include your spouse. Since feminism is not a one-way street, it does include some contributions to the household chores from your said spouse’s end as well.

Delivery Girl beautifully brings out how truly deep the roots of patriarchy are embedded in us that we fail to see how it hurts everyone in the process be it a man or a woman. How normalised it has become to look over an entire gender’s suffering and just go with the flow whenever it’s convenient to do so. How easy it has become to call out patriarchy when it is explicitly expressed but not so easy to detect its smell when it’s been brewing right under your nose all along. The film raises a question for us as a modern society, “how are we still modern if we are still tying down one entire gender with certain roles and responsibilities that they didn’t even wish to take up in the first place?”

Afterword

Delivery Girl brings to light the fact that higher education doesn’t always lead to a more enlightened way of living. Especially if patriarchy has seeped into the said education through some unnoticeable cracks. It sheds light on how sometimes it’s women themselves who ensure that the roots of patriarchy don’t get entirely cut off. Though the plot becomes very predictable very soon, the message that it leaves one with stays with you long after the credits have rolled.

Imagination is a powerful tool available to humans but so is laziness. Just when you ask people to imagine the consequences of climate change and global warming they get scared but soon enough laziness takes over and they are back to their usual routine. It’s almost as if, waking up to poor air quality and walking in between heaps of garbage disposed of on either side of the road is a completely normal thing. Nobody bats an eye. And that’s exactly what “Wade” tried to change.

Wade – Short film

Directed by Kalp Sanghvi & Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, “Wade” is a short film released in 2020 that focuses on humankind’s impending doom. Focusing on a dystopian future in Kolkata the 11 minutes short film tried to give us a glimpse of what the future will truly look like if the sea-water level keeps rising. Kolkata is a coastal city and at the end of the 18th century, Sunderbans actually extended up to Calcutta. Today, after patches of it are cleared in the name of development, it instead acts as a buffer against storms and cyclones. But with the rate at which it is depleting, it’s hard to tell for how long it will be able to continue in its role as the buffer.

“We were much more concerned with the choices and ethics of being in a post-climate change age rather than having a simplistic message like, ‘Do this and it will not happen’,” said Bhattacharyya. “We wanted to portray something very real and tell the audience that this will happen to you. So what are you going to do about it?” said Sanghvi.

Bridging The Gap Between Present & Future

By portraying the grim reality, they tried to bring to notice how civilised humankind has returned back to its earlier savage ways through the horrific portrayal of drowning a crying baby in order to silence it to save others who are hiding from a man-eating streak of tigers. From their pupils being reduced to tiny dots on their faces as a way to convey a sense of anxiety and also as a result of being exposed to the sun for too long to eating anything and everything they can get their hands on to survive, humanity has fallen into the deep depths of desperation as a consequence of their own action.

By showcasing the stark difference of how Kolkata used to be or still is in some affluent parts with big skyscrapers and hundreds of AC for each flat, it tries to highlight the point, temporary pleasure leads to a lifetime of regret. This particular comparison also brings to light the way in which the poor suffer for the ways of the rich. The choice of the location being Kolkata’s famous Park Street makes it even more difficult for people to unwatch the horrors that are about to follow them soon. 

Afterword

This haunting 11min short film with no dialogue conveys more emotions than any gut-wrenching dialogue out there. It’s a hauntingly closer look at the future which is much closer than we thought it actually is. Instead of trying to give people a small indigestion with a film that tells them how to stop the drastic effects of climate change from taking its hold on us, it manages to give them a full-blown diarrhoea with no steps on how to stop it to draw more attention to the seriousness of the situation at hand rather than the solution which as mentioned earlier will always be put off till the very last minute because of laziness. It is a desperate effort to create climate change awareness.

Movies tend to show a reflection of life. They through influence awaken masses from a slumber of fascade. Wonderful work of animations that will blow you mind with effort and the intentions they want to promote. Serving as a reminder to appreciate, acknowledge and acceptance these movies have some amazing simple storyline presented in the most authentic ways.

ONE – Midnight Kettle

A short film emphasises the essence of worth being determined not by societal standards but right time and place. Written and directed by Ketal Pal, the animated film shows a significant reality through the story of A One rupee coin navigating its way through a highly dominated monetary value system. In a world where the idea of worth is determined by its capacity is pedestaled. The raw emotions dwelling inside a mere coin’s head show a transition from a carefree character to an insecure coin who lacks and feels useless. Discovering a space in the arcade where the coin is genuinely appreciated and realises its worth unveils the facade everyone is blinded by like shown in the marketplace. The movie is a great reminder to acknowledge and accept oneself and not let otherworldly factors influence you. The creation of animation is done phenomenally almost humanising money and reflecting human society through it. With assurance, the movie promises every individual is special and it’s all about the right unfolding in life to meet the right people, belong to a community and give back to it through your potential.

Hope, The Boat – Paper Boat

Hope, The Boat carries an essence of hope and aspiration that goes a long way beyond all the troubles. It is a story of a little boy dreaming to be on The Great Cruise who creates a paper boat whose journey is comforting and inspiring as it finally reaches its aspirations. The short film directed by Dhruv Sachdeva and Clifford Afonso is a delightful animation, light yet impactful. The visuals created are perfect and the humanising of the boat is amazing. The boat represents hope, a hope to dream and not live under the fear of being crushed or trashed. The symbolic way the apprehension and obstacles are presented through different natural factors as well as a promise of shelter throughout the bad days is wonderful to watch. The movie ends with the young boy making it to the cruise and all the paper boats following the cruise to their eventual destination. A lovely movie that is definitely worth your watch.

Rewa Nainon Mei Rahe, Bombay Rose – Gitanjali Rao

Bombay Rose will completely captivate your heart and mind with its visuals and spectacular plot. A fascination and a trance that you enter while just watching the movie will leave you in awe. The music used that almost directs the movie, Rewa Nainon Mei Rahe by Cyli Khare sounds divine. A movie appealing to eyes shows the intricacies of love which remains unrequited.The constant subtle seamless transition between the two relams a street in Bombay and A nostalgic location centuries ago is what elevates the entire movies. The transitions are stunning and leaves a sudden impact with a lot of thoughts just rushing about the story. The entire animation is unbeliveable, the way details are taken care of and showing the sheer dedication put in producing this art. The movements throughout the movie and potrayal of emotions is what really catches your attention. The writer and director of the movie Gitanjali Rao and entire involvement of people have created a masterpiece.

Child labour is a persistent social issue that affects many children in India. According to the 2011 census, out of 25.6 million children in India between the ages of 5 and 14, 1.01 million are engaged in some form of child labour. These children should be in school, learning and pursuing their dreams, but instead they are forced to work in order to survive. While progress has been made in addressing this issue, it remains a significant problem that needs to be addressed.

Baitullah

With many other social evils making headlines today, child labour has taken a backseat in mainstream media. It’s as if it has become quite normal. Thus, Jitendra Rai felt it was the need of the hour to bring forth this issue. Written and directed by Rai, ‘Baitullah’ tells the story of one such kid who had to watch his dream getting shattered into a million pieces in the face of his reality.

The movie makes you question whether we have really made progress or not. It makes you think how many times have you ignored a child who is delivering tea? Or a child who is “helping out” at a store? Did we ever stop to think, why is he/she not in school? The answer is probably no, because that’s how normal it has become.

There are many thought-provoking scenes in the 7 mins short film, but the one that left mark on me is probably the scene which features the child, Baitullah praying in a temple after delivering tea to the priest. You can see his mouth salivating at the sight of the fruits laid out in front of the deities as offerings. India is a country where children are considered the reflection of God. It’s quite ironic that they are letting this living, breathing reflection live and die in suffering. Yet they make such grandiose offerings to the deities hoping it would please them.

Afterword:

The movie does a really good job of bringing the story of millions of kids forward. Creating the perfect setting by focusing on little things such as showing how a kid longs for toys and to be around peers of his age and do the same thing as they are doing such as going to school, the film manages to leave a huge impact on the viewer. With stellar directing skills and an amazing cast, Rai has successfully managed to bring forth the issue of child labour into the mainstream.  

It is a movie that reminds you of the things that you have taken for granted which are still far-fetched dreams for someone else. The emotions it manages to evoke without much dialogue go on to show the true power of directing. It’s a film for every child’s dream that remains unfulfilled.    

The prism of the lives that we live are filled with multiple angles of socio-economic elements. Our privileges and marginalizations make huge impacts in our lives. Ajitpal Singh, through his short film, ‘Rammat Gammat (My Best Friend’s Shoes)’ highlights these social hierarchies through the innocent friendship of two young boys. The 18-minute Gujarati language short film received a special mention at the 64th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. It also made it to the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Stony Brook Film Festival.

Plot/Synopsis

‘Rammat Gammat’ opens with two young school-going boys, who from the very first glance we can guess are close friends. Bhushan (played by Shivam Math) and Avinash (played by Yash Harsh Patel) are united by their love for football. They go to the same school, and so of course go to the school together, come back together and after school, practice football together. Ajitpal Singh makes us aware of the differences between the two boys: their opposite socio-economic standing.

While Avinash belongs from a well-to-do household, living in the middle of the hustle bustle of the town, Bhushan lives with his mother at the outskirts in a shed. Their friendship is put to questioning when Avinash, owing to his privilege, gets a new set of soccer shoes. Moreover, his admission in the city school would provide him with new opportunities to play and practice football. The viewers witness Bhushan, eyeing the shiny studs, and drowned in envy as his friend will soon leave for the city for better education and training in football.

Rammat Gammat: A Tale Of Talent Vs Privilege?

Ajitpal Singh has knit together a holistic movie against the backdrop of a green landscape and a monsoon scenery. The movie unravels friendship, class, society, dreams, and privileges. The 18-minute movie probes you to think deeper about the hierarchies that exist between everyone: friends and family members and if these hierarchies are bigger than human connections and love.

In the contemporary society, our privileges play a crucial role in determining the turnout of our lives. In the film, Bhushan is clearly the better football player than Avinash yet we are made aware that Bhushan will have to cross more thresholds than Avinash will, to be able to achieve the same dream.

The ending of the movie settles a beautiful message. Despite the differences between the two boys: caste and class differences, acts of thievery, and daring to dream big, the two of them sit together and smile at each other. Maybe these differences are just the creation of the adult society. Such differences are dispelled almost immediately, their relevancy is put on the edge of the cliff, between the innocent hearts of the children.