Shameless

Each day thousands of people come to Mumbai in search of jobs. Each one of them wishes to be treated with dignity and respect. However, this is not so often the case in one of India's most famous city often labeled as the 'city of dreams' as one's wealth and social standing determine how much respect a person is going to get in Mumbai. It is due to this unpalatable truth that even Bombay high court had to intervene in 2019 to urge the state government to treat all its citizens rich or poor with dignity.

That respect is a must for all human interactions is nicely depicted in Keith Gomes' short film ''Shameless''. It begins with a foul-mouthed couch potato growing restless at home as the delivery of food which he has ordered through a mobile application is delayed. He is also bothered by the constant ringing of the doorbell. He opens the door with a lot of hesitation to find a meek delivery girl. What follows is the beginning of a wacky adventure involving a heady mix of comedy as well as thriller elements. It reminds viewers that not treating ordinary people with respect is a malaise in Mumbai and other Indian metropolitan cities. It is high time that this malaise is addressed and corrected as one should treat other people in the same manner as they would like to be treated.

'Shameless' is very much a modern film about developed India in all aspects. It shows a contemporary urban India where one is able to speak freely as one speaks a language with abundance of abusive terms and swear words. The language used in this film is both brutal as well as raw. However, it is acceptable by all and sundry as being symptomatic of the hard times in which we are living.

While watching 'Shameless', erudite viewers will recognize how deftly director Keith Gomes has depicted the 'urban' versus 'rural' divide in his film. On the one hand there is a young IT (Information technology) professional carrying out all his daily tasks namely work and ordering of food through technology which is easily accessible to people in urban cities of India. On the other hand there is a delivery girl for whom laptop and a mobile phone have limited use as she cannot use these gadgets to send money to her mother in a remoted village as there are no banks. Both actors Sayani Gupta and Hussain Dalal played their roles with finesse.

''Shameless'' is a well-made short film which tackles many burning issues such as aggressive behavior, sense of identity, digital dependence, frustration etc. What makes this short film unique is the fact that it is one of the rare Asian short films which has managed to speak about these pressing issues. Lastly, it drives home the message that human beings should have respect for each other and nobody is inferior to anyone. May more people watch ''Shameless'' in order to create a society where everybody is treated with utmost respect regardless of his/her social class or status.

I am surprised this short film has not been reviewed yet.

"Shameless" touches some uncomfortable topics - loneliness, isolation, insecurity, prejudices etc. The overall presentation is dark - both visually and thematically - but there is an underlying message of hope, humanity and decency. For a short film to accomplish all this in a short time (pun unintended) requires skillful narration and solid performances - both of which Shameless accomplishes effortlessly.

Highly recommended.