“Matched!” (2018) by Arbab Hussain & Anahad Madhav

A Pakistani boy and an Indian girl meet online.

Theme: Friendship

Online dating has become commonplace over the last few years. Stories abound about young couples who meet on dating apps and end up getting married. But what happens when a dating app malfunctions and matches two people across a hostile border?

This week’s film is a lighthearted tale of befriending the ‘other’. It tells the story of Sameer and Maya who ‘match’ on a dating app and feel an instant connection. Both of them have common interests such as cricket, Bollywood films and maggi noodles. They can relate to each other’s misery caused by pushy parents and societal pressure. The fact that the man is in Lahore, Pakistan and the woman in Amritsar, India only makes them realize that they are just 50 kilometers apart.

Over the course of the film, we see Sameer and Maya’s friendship blossom as they help each other fight for their dreams. But the question remains whether they will fight for a future with each other. Watch the film to find out what happens.

It must also be mentioned that ‘Matched!’ is a valiant effort by two media companies – one Indian and the other Pakistani – who collaborated to make this Independence Day special project come to life. We need more stories like this, which encourage connection rather than separation, friendship rather than animosity. The film ends with an interesting behind-the-scenes glimpse into their process so stay tuned till the very end.