RIFF 08, 2022, 15: Films I saw at the Rajasthan International Film Festival

RIFF 08, 2022, 15: Films I saw at the Rajasthan International Film Festival

1. Princes and Vagabonds, Directed by Fabienne Le Houérou: Brave attempt but low cinematic values make this documentary watchable only for its informative and curiosity factors.
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3. Pilibhit (The Yellow Wall), Directed by Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi: Inspired from true stories, it tells you how the place got it curious name, has a good treatment and powerful performances.
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5. Na Jaane Kyun (Don't Know Why?), Directed by: Mayank Pushpam Singh: Didn’t know what it was all about, even after the full eight minutes of the film had run out.
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7. E-Rickshawali, Directed by Ruhi aka Rohini Hak: A good example of what a documentary should be. The subject is a woman taxi driver who dons men’s clothes and braves it out in Delhi.
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9. Ek Rajput Kisan-The Real Story, Directed by Dr. Bhawani Singh Rathore and Rohit Guptaa: Another documentary, this time made by the family of the person whose biopic it is, the film is made with sensitivity. Good to last the 43 minutes.
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13. Ek Duaa (A Prayer), Directed by Ram Kamal Mukherjee: A RIFF regular, journalist-turned-filmmaker, Mukherjee comes up with a film starring Esha Deol and co-produced by Esha and her husband. It addresses a noble cause but does not live up to expectations.
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15. Shubho Bijoya, Directed by Ram Kamal Mukherjee: This is a better effort. At 52 minutes, it is seven minutes longer than Ek Duaa, and is based on an O. Henry story, Gift of the Magi. It literally shatters the myth that beauty is skin deep, and also draws a tear or two.
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17. Tired Heart, Directed by Kritesh Agarwal: An example of a student or amateur film that tries to convey its message through the moods and nuances exhibited by its protagonist, a young woman who is considering suicide.
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19. MMMMM Sound of Pain, Directed by Vijeesh Mani: Though chronicling the plight of a bee-keeper/honey gatherer, it uses his imagination to create a little girl as a honeybee, who appears and disappears at will, but often talks to him. Passable fare.
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21. Operation Java, Directed by Tharun Moorthy: Some marks for choosing an off-beat subject. Non official IT experts are retained to help trace criminals, but the police take the entire credit. Worth watching.
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23. Aata, Directed by Hemant Seervi: Brutally honest, this was one of the discoveries of the festival. Hemant Seervi is a director to look out for. His solution for female exploitation may not be legal or practical, but as a film, it grabs you by the throat.
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25. The Portraits, Directed by Dr Bijukumar Damodaran: Environmental crusader Damodaran, paints six portraits that are more interesting than some of his earlier films. Enjoy the visual beauty of his cinematic sketches, with a thin story-line running through.
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27. Silver Hair Still Rocks, Directed by Andrea Rüthlein, Matthias Lukoschek: An ode to Goa, which has been a haven for Western holiday-makers, this is a classic documentary based on interviews of a dozens of fair-skinned visitors, some of who have been living in Goa for decades. These include Marianne Borgo, who has been associated with RIFF for many years. The 90+ minutes do not pose any tedium.
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29. Chhipkali, Directed by Koushik Kar: It is unfair to comment about a film after seeing only the last one third. But if that can impress you, maybe you should try to catch-up with what you missed. A psychological thriller about an author, Chhipkali (lizard) deserves a look.
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31. Mrityudand (Death sentence), Directed by Dinesh Rajpurohit: A typical rape and vendetta story, but the treatment is refreshingly different. You won’t miss too much if you miss it, neither will you be enriched if you watch it.
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33. Sakuntalam, Directed by Dushyanth Sridhar: Did not see the full film due to constraints, yet it did impress. In Sanskrit language, it examines the ancient tale of Shakuntala, King Dushyant and Bharat in a broader perspective.
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35. Bank Loan, Directed b: Rashmi S. and Poornashri R.: Two female directors tell the tale of a Bank Manager who exploits two women loan seekers. There is a humour, but it is largely of the punny sort and below the belt. In one scene, the Manager says, “Hindi is not our national language”, a highly contentious claim.
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37. Someday, Directed by Shefali Shah: Actress Shefali Shah tries her hand at direction, and proves that the experimental cinema, as typified by Mani Kaul and Kumar Shahani in the late 60s to mid-80s, is alive and kicking. Another inspiration must be Sunil Dutt’s one actor movie, Yaaden. Apparently about a woman under quarantine for Covid, played by Shah herself, the 13-minute film is disjointed and incoherent.
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39. Gaaye Hamari Mata Hai (Cow is our Mother), Directed by Shuja Ali: A queer kettle of fish, this film about the holy cow. Part comedy, part political, it adds-up to a good film when seen detached from the political agenda that it obviously promotes. Charles Thomson, a Bihar-born Australian who lives largely in India and is a regular at RIFF, plays one of the main roles.
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41. An Unrevealed Secret, Directed by Swastik Jain: A story based on horror nightmare, the film failed to hold my interest. With just seven minutes to play with, it had to make every frame count. Sadly, it doesn’t.
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43. Tooti Chappal (Broken Slipper), Directed by Kuldeep Vyas: Some of us have fetishes; the protagonist in the film is attached to his broken slipper. He will not get rid of it under any circumstances. An effective, unexpected climax is the best part of this 13 minute short.
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45. Delude, Directed by Nischal Sharma: How in heaven’s name did this short film manage to get all the costumes and the equipment required for a commando operation into what must be Pakistan Occupied Kashmir? Slick, it is for sure. But all the references are from popular films that have been releasing for the last whole decade, with exactly similar plots. At 29 minutes, it could easily be the climax of a regular Mumbai Hindustani film.
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48. Kitchen – 19, Directed by Eshan Harsh: A simple, open and shut film about a woman who finds out a way to see her through Covid confinement: by learning cooking.
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50. Bulletproof Anand, Directed by Alok Sharma: When you walk into the auditorium to watch Jaaved Jaaferi, Sanjai Mishra and Anshuman Jha in a drama about the capture of the dreaded Bulletproof Anand (Jaaved), you wonder how many thrills and laughs they will squeeze into 15 minutes! They fall a bit short, but it is a film that most viewers will enjoy.
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52. Rangrez, Directed by Himanshu Kiran Sharma: Excellent title for a film about a woman photographer with a disability. The film, too, largely lives up to expectations, packing in a rounded tale in a mere 12 minutes.

1. Newton's Pendulum, Directed by Kushal Jadhav: Ambitious, this 27-minute exercise delving into the world of psychiatry and illusion needed to be a couple of minutes longer to explain the goings on better, cinematically. Casting Shishir Sharma in the lead role is a coup. Kushal Jadhav is a director with promise, and this was his fifth film - all have been shorts. Newton’s Pendulum's writer Abhishek Pandurangi co-wrote their last film, A Brief Case. Do I see a feature taking shape in the future?
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3. B. B. Lal "Doyen of Indian Archaeology”, Directed by Dr. Ramadevi Sekhar and Mr. Ebenezer Annadoss: Archælogy may not be a glamorous subject, but as a country that dates back to Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, we ought to give it its due place. A Bio-pic on B.B. Lal, it also links his findings with the Ram Mandir/Ram Janmabhoomi, which seems to be part its agenda. Otherwise, it is a standard documentary, examining various aspects of the life and times of Lal.
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5. Anubandh, Directed by Sharafat Ali, Anand Singh Chouhan: One documentary that is only slightly fictionalised, Anubandh has its heart in its right place. Don’t look for cinematic excellence, but it is not rank amateurish either. The cause and plight of old people abandoned by their families will strike a chord with all sensitive viewers.
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7. Dollu (The Drum), Directed by Sagar Puranik: Stereotypical folklore meets harsh reality in this feature about drums and the dwindling tribe of drum-beaters in Karnataka. Though the focus is maintained, the side-tracks tend to be formulaic. If that kind of music and dancing appeals to you, do go and watch Dollu.
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9. Namak (Salt), Directed by Tanuj Vyas: If you thought slat cannot be the commodity that attracts smugglers and the mafia, think again. The film was getting very interesting when I, and several other guests, was forced to leave for the official dinner. I would recommend the film based on what I saw. It might be worth its salt.
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11. Bittersweet, Directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan: Over the years, Mahadevan has become quite the expert in addressing social issues and even doing bio-pics. Here, he tackles the immense problem of women forced to work in sugar-cane farms as bonded labour and forced to undergo hysterectomy, so that they do not lose the 4-5 days they would lose due to menstruation. It’s true, and it’s shocking. And Mahadevan is in his element. A must watch!
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13. Bhagavadajjukam (The Monk and the Courtesan), Directed by Yadu Vijayakrishnan: Sanskrit again, this time a fun film about souls swapping, the humour is a bit crass, but nothing that will make you cringe. Have some fun.
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15. Semkhor, Directed by Aimee Baruah: I did not see this film at RIFF, but earlier at Dhaka International Film Festival. How did she do it? The question is rocking the minds of a few thousand cine-goers who have seen Semkhor. Aimee Baruah, an actress who leads family a life full of luxury, stuns you with her performance and bowls you over with her direction. How many untrained directors can boast of a film like Semkhor as the debut vehicle? Welcome Aimee, I await your next venture very, very anxiously.

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