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.
