Author: Surbhi Dewan

An emergency-services operator tries to help a woman and her child when a house fire threatens their lives. The film begins in a hub of activity where emergency-services operators are responding to a variety of crisis calls. We soon meet Read more

This film takes inspiration from the poetry of the 18th century Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, widely held to be the greatest Sufi poet of the Sindhi language. This week we take a break from fiction and non-fiction stories, and look Read more

In rural India, where the stigma of menstruation persists, women make low-cost sanitary pads on a new machine and stride toward financial independence. After last week’s fiction film about family and grieving, here is another film by the same team Read more

A dead car battery leaves Safa stranded alone in a strip mall parking lot. This week we return to fiction with a nifty short film. A young woman, Safa, is going about her day when suddenly she finds herself stranded Read more

The story of a rodent’s unrelenting quest for happiness and fulfillment This is a story about the capitalist way of life – a literal rat race, where ‘happiness’ is up for sale. In the film, the rats are easily distracted Read more

A young woman goes to her first audition and the director asks her to talk about what is inside her handbag Auditioning as an actor can be a strange, awkward and vulnerable experience. One is supposed to put oneself out Read more

An experimental portrayal of patriarchy in India The film depicts an eventful year in the life of Old Delhi’s Bazaar Sitaram. Neena Gupta shines in this film as a young woman exploring her culture and community, while also falling in Read more

An experimental portrayal of patriarchy in India ‘Kathputli’ is an unusual film, both in its form as well as storytelling. We see a woman in a stage play setting, with her hands tied to strings. It is clear that this Read more

Our lives – and the world as a whole – would be a different place if bees didn’t exist. Amit Godse, Pune’s famous Bee Man, has taken it upon himself to save the world by saving the bees. This film Read more

A woman reminisces about her hometown. Nostalgia is defined as a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past. Though a powerful and universal emotion, many dismiss nostalgia as self-indulgence. For a storyteller, nostalgia can work like Read more