Jahaan (2022) :
Short Film Review -
It is very difficult to handle a lot of issues within a short period of time for any short film, but that's the art we look forward to in short films. You get to see so much content in a short time. It's like you blink and you miss something big. That's some great experience, I believe. Amazon miniTV's latest short, Jahaan, has got a lot to say and it successfully achieves what the team was trying to do. At one moment, it looked impossible, but they made it possible. The team has passed the test, and with good marks too.
Jahaan is a short film that narrates the gripping and haunting story of a young couple, Ghazal (Mrunal Thakur) and Inder (Avinash Tiwary), who are passionately in love. While facing ups and downs in their marital life, the partners are living in a house that they feel emotionally connected to. The story, peppered with emotions, of a couple moves forward when their estate broker (Gopal Datt) tries to find a new tenant, while Ghazal and Inder have no intention of letting go of the house. What are the secrets of their house? Or is it not just about the house? Find out all the answers in those 10 minutes you are going to spend on Jahaan.
It's very difficult to judge somebody's performance in a short film because you think they are shifting the gears, and then you realise that the show is over. Maybe that's an advantage too. You see, in shorts, the artist has to be in glossy flow from the first frame because there is no time to lose. It challenges the artist, and whoever is ready to accept that challenge has the potential to be a great artist, in my opinion. Mrunal Thakur does that here. She takes the challenge and, despite knowing that she is going to share half the screen with the male actor, she does not feel insecure.
Acting is not just about you acting for yourself, but it is also about making your co-actor comfortable and giving him those perfect go-to spaces. Mrunal leaves an impact as an actress by herself, but her bigger contribution comes when she makes that chemistry with Avinash Tiwary look sporting and intimate. Tiwary gets those cut-to frames right after Mrunal and sometimes with Mrunal and both times he's really good. Gopal Datt appears less, but you couldn't have imagined any other actor to fill his place.
Celina John presents a strong tale of romance, casteism, religious hatred and haunted conscience without breaking any basic laws of regular short cinema. The idea of making a simple romance look hunting and dangerous and yet giving a social message through it is too much for any viewer's brain. Especially if you are not prepared. Take this as a warning, and prepare to watch a sweet-looking and disturbing love story that may just shake your mind for a moment before returning you to your normal life, only to leave you evocated. In one word, POIGNANT!
RATING - 7/10*
