The Third,because three stories are better than one

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pic coutzey Sanjay Ambadi.

Sanjay Ambadi’s ‘The Third’ is the combination of 3 short films which portray the different stages in one’s life. These movies irrespective of being amateur movies created by a set of teenagers are thought provoking and entertaining. The idea of using three different languages in the three movies is appreciable. This establishes a similarity in situations whether or not there is a similarity in cultural and regional backgrounds.

The first film ‘Qualm’ revolves around the life of a school going teenager who goes through a variety of events which changes his life. The subjects discussed in the film like alcoholism, drug addiction and revenge which leads to criminal behavior are very relevant in the present social scenario. The protagonist Amit is the representation of our present generation who is driven by their sudden emotions and unstable mental instincts. . As the name indicates, ‘Qualm’ ends where Amit doubts himself for his own conduct and behavior.

The sound effects and the dubbing in the movie is very good for an amateur movie. The dialogs are specific and clear which leaves no doubt in the story for the viewers. The actors have done their part very well. The transition of Amit from an innocent school student to an aggressive, violent person was evident through Sanjay Ambadi’s acting.

Apart from the plot and the socially relevant message that the movie gives, the technical side of the movie is weak. The cinematography could have been better. There is a lack of proper lighting throughout the movie. But whether it was a deliberate attempt to bring a spooky effect, only the director knows. There are pauses in between each shot which affects the continuity of the movie. If these pauses were avoided, there would have been a flow in the course of the movie which in turn could have given the viewers a feeling of completeness.

The second film ‘Sanguine’ is a comedy entertainer in which Deepak, the main character falls in love with a girl and gets into trouble by gaining grudge from another guy who is in love with the same girl. To escape a fight with that guy, he starts running and also not going anywhere outside his house. At last, he realizes if he runs, he will have to run throughout his life. So he gets out and fights. The funniest part is after all this hungama, he proposes that girl again and she rejects him. After few days, he meets the other guy and he also has the same story to say, and they become friends.

Sanguine entertains the viewers from the start to the end making us laugh throughout. Rajath Krishna who acted as Deepak deserves a clap for his performance. The makers have paid attention to every single detail to make the movie enjoyable. The movie is more of a situation comedy kind in which no complicated dialogues have ruined the fun. The director has used unbroken long shots to ensure continuity and this gave a panoramic effect to some of the shots. The background music could have been a bit milder because in some of the shots, the music overpowers the dialogs which in turn has affected the clarity. The movie ends on a positive note when Deepak’s optimistic nature and his guts to face situations has at last helped him to get over his troubles.

The third movie ‘Impasse’ shows the present societal set up in which the educational system is restricted and it mainly produces white collar job seekers only. This confinement and how this distracts the good students from real learning is clearly depicted in the movie. Nihal, a higher secondary student is seemingly very brilliant in studies. He loves to learn about the mechanics behind everything. So, he decides to be an engineer. But, the stress and suffocation caused by his schedule drains out his thirst for learning. He starts studying for marks and not knowledge. He forgets about the small things that can make him happy. In the end, he realizes what he missed out and then starts learning in his own way.

The movie discusses about how our educational system kills the natural hunger for knowledge in students. Pauses in between could have been avoided. The movie gets a little slow in the middle. The movie implies that there will be no progress if we are chained under certain norms of the society. It is a medium paced movie which is direct.

Watch this if you are crazy about short films otherwise this is not your cup of tea.

Any form of art that I create should have a message while entertaining the audience:Arun K R

Pic courtesy:-Blackethics

As he gears up for his upcoming exams,the director of “Kurunnu Manass” Arun K R is tensed and excited.The 18 year old is running between balancing his studies and following his passion.This young lad has till now directed three short films and a music video.His latest film Kurunnu Manass has been well received by the audience.Arun K R is also a singer and script writer.In this chat with backbenchfilms,he talks about the making of kurunnu manass,his passion and motivation and his aspirations for the future.

Kurunnu Manass as a film has received much appreciation.How did the movie come into being?

With Kurunnu Manass the idea was to make make a good and enjoyable films that also gave a message.As everyone is aware we human beings are raping mother earth for our own greed.The idea was to express the story from the view points of children as their mind is not yet corrupted unlike adults today.This idea prompted me to make this film.People usually watch a short film for entertainment,but for me only entertainment is not enough,any form of art that I create should have a message while entertaining the audience.

This is your third short film?What’s the motivation that drives you?

My dream of becoming a filmmaker is what motivates me.I am working towards achieving that dream some day.The biggest support that I get is from my parents.They always back me to give my name to different short film contests.My parents have always motivated me to follow my passion and without their guidance none of the things I have done till now would have been possible.My friends have been my pillars throughout .Kurunnu manass is not my film,Its our film,it’s a film me and my friends have taken together.This film wouldn’t have been possible if even one of the crew members was not there.

Whose your favourite director/actor?

Christopher Nolan has always been my favourite director.I have loved all his movies with Inception being my favourite movie of his.My favourite actor is Mohanlal and I cant find enough words to describe him.

How was the casting for this movie done?

I wanted the casting in this movie to be perfect.It was due to our luck that we could get the right actors to play the role of the kids with the limited amount of time that we had.The girl was someone who my friend Melvin had known earlier and the boy was the brother of our school senior Shreya.It was our luck that they suited the characters in this story.

The cast and crew of Kurunnu manass

Finally are you happy with the feedback you have received till now?

Oh yes extremely!We had also received good feedbacks for our previous films also but with Kurunnu Manass people started saying that we had got a professional touch.For me that is a big victory.The credit goes to Ansar Ikka who did the cinematography.We are thankful that we met him.The good feedback has also given us motivation for our future projects.We had screened the movie in our school to overwhelming response from the students and teachers.At the end of the day it feels good when people like something which you have made with a lot of effort and dedication.

Kurunnu Manass review

(Click on the photo to watch the film)   Photo courtsy:Arun K R

Innocence looms large in KR Aruns malayalam short film Kurunu Manass.The film whose name means ‘the mind of a child’ unfolds in a sleepy part of Palakkad.This tale of two young kids who are filled with innocence and values that most adults have lost leaves the viewer with a lasting lesson and impression. These kids take up a cause which the whole world is facing today,but unlike adults more or less due to their innocence the thought “what difference does one person make”doesn’t cross their mind.From the very first frame the film becomes successful in keeping the viewer guessing.The casting is near perfect,both the child actors are cute and charming.Special mention to the girl Ayesha who stole this reviwers heart.
Even though made by amateurish school boys with a budget that can be termed as pocket change the film does look highly professional with its wonderful shorts and crisp editing.The BGM could have been better but is apt for the message which the film conveys.The thing that stuck me the most was the detailing,like sound of the cicadas and crickets in the background when Ayesha leaves her home or the visual of  a butterfly that comes near a plant in the climax of the film(watchout out for this) are well thought out.
The film does have its drawbacks,the dubbing is out of sink at times,the camera zooms unwantedly in a couple of places.
But all these can be neglected in this gem of a films which deserves more recognition.With a running time 9 minutes and 14 seconds it keeps you hooked and makes your day!
I rate Kurunu Manass 4 and a half stars out of 5.This is 9 minutes well spend on youtube.

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