Jai Mata Di (Hindi, 2017) | Short Film Review

A young couple is being shown a fully furnished house in Mumbai by a broker who waxes lyrical about the housing society and how neighbors are never a problem as everybody has their own business to mind. As decision time beckons we see the differing perspectives of the couple and the fact that they are in a live-in relationship. Out of nowhere, the broker says the society doesn’t allow live-in couples. Of course, we don’t see the lady breaking into a song to impress the association head à la Ok Kanmani. The broker instead proposes an idea to solve their problem. And what an idea it is!

With a taut plot that could be squeezed in about 10 minutes, it is fantastic to see how Navjot Gulati, the maker of the short, touches upon Narendra Modi, the utterly useless Facebook political posts, the millennial mindset, and even a new business idea. The way the surname mismatch is handled and the performances of all the 5 actors in that scene to sustain and break the tension are marvelous!

Apart from the well-written dialogues and terrific performances, the casting by Shaarika Pandit deserves applause. The choice of actors for the broker and the association head, Saanand Verma and Manu Rishi respectively are masterstrokes. Similarly, Supriya Pilgaonkar elevates the role a great deal modulating Navjot’s lines wonderfully well (that Sunil Shetty line was a killer!).

This is one short film that you must not miss – Go Watch!