Rating : 3.8/5
Genre : Anthology
Year : 2021
Running time : 1 hour 53 minutes
Director : Nikhil Advani, Avinash Arun, Krishna DK, Raj Nidimoru, Tanishttha Chatterjee, Nitya Mehra
Cast : Ratna Pathak Shah, Lilette Dubey, Gulshan Devaiah, Saiyami Kher, Rinku Rajguru, Richa Chaddha, Ishwak Singh, Shardul Bharadwaj, Geetika Vaidya Ohlyan
Kidwise : PG-13
Unpaused is a collection of 5 shorts, each about life during a pandemic. All the films centered on themes of loneliness and the need for human company and comfort amid all the required isolation. And honestly, I did like this anthology far more than the recent Ajeeb Daastaans.
In the first film, Glitch, the setting is pandemic based, but a tad futuristic since it is set in 2030, amid COVID-30. Ahan (Devaiah) is on a virtual date with Ayesha (Kher). He breaks off the date when he realises that she is a “warrior”, a medical professional fighting the virus. He is a “hypo”, a hypochondriac. They are poles apart in personality. Still, the “system” has matched them – a glitch possibly? The romance is nipped in the bud, or is it?
Bollywood doesn’t really do dystopian, so this was really interesting. I liked the way the directors Raj, DK, showed us their futuristic vision and set their tale of romance in what could possibly be a future where humans are increasinlgy isolated, socializing through their online avatars.
The second tale is “The Apartment” about Devika (Richa Chaddha) who finds out that her husband (Vyas), a fellow senior journalist, has been sexually molesting younger journalists. In her apartment alone, after casting him out, she is plagued by his accusation of her – Why didn’t she stop him? In her depressed state, Devika craves solitude but is badgered by the downstairs neighbor Chirag (Singh) who keeps knocking on her door complaining of a water leak from her apartment.
Chaddha is really fantastic as Devika, faulting herself for her scumbag husband’s misdeeds, her despair palpable. Director Nikhil Advani beautifully depicts her anguish and guilt and the ultimate resolution to her problem.
The third Rat-a-tat is directed by Tanishtha Chatterjee and has Lilette Dubey as Archana, a cantankerous old woman who very unwillingly helps out a young neighbor Priyanka (Rinku Rajguru of Sairat fame) when Priyanka’s apartment is overrun by a rat. This tale was a little predictable but well-told and develops the unlikely friendship with depth and nuance.
The fourth is Vishanu and highlights the plight of the lower class in view of the spreading infection. Manish (Banerjee) is trying to fend for this wife Seema (Geetikea Ohlyan whom you might remember from Soni) and little daughter. Although they are temporarily squatting in a city high-rise flat, Manish has no work and is trying to get his family safe passage to his village, because the money is running out.
This story depicted the desperate conditions of a daily-wage earner, who does not have the luxury to “work-from-home”, but while it did that well, there was no real ending to this one.
Tha last story is “Chand Mubarak” and is about another unlikely friendship. Ratna Pathak Shah is Uma, a crochety older woman who needs to get medications, and is driven to the shop during the curfew in an auto. The auto-driver Rafique (Bharadwaj) is helpful, but curt and crusty Uma is slow to believe in the kindness of strangers. This was my favorite of the 5, because of both the actors. Shah is impeccable and Bharadwaj is no less.
While I can identify clear favorites in this anthology all of these 5 films were really good quality, told with care and an earnestness that is touching.
Quite lovely – highly recommended.
Kidwise: Some talk of sexual molestation in The Apartment, but otherwise non-traumatic for the younger set.
