Often we seem to believe that men in uniform have a typical stature. We look at them with utmost respect and assume that their might is invincible. But are we totally correct? Not that it is incorrect but what we tend to not see or rather what is hidden behind the strong uniform is anyways a human being who also has his life. What we see is just the front ignoring the human side of the person.
Shiv Patil (Aadil Jaipuri), is a young police officer in the Mumbai police department. He is portrayed to have a very strong outer demeanour, however, one stimulus and he struggles with his deeply ingrained turbulence of emotions. Shiv oscillates between his professional duty of protecting a woman from marital atrocities on one hand, while also taking care of his pregnant sister and on the other hand, he is has a devastated inner child resulting from a dark past. A past that he had been through while practicing a dance form with his maternal uncle (Yatin Karyekar).
A vow taken out of innocent rage at 8 and a cultural dance form practiced as a child, together form his only tool of resurrection from the grave of trauma. Will he be able to set himself free from the trauma akin a soul that leaves a body on death?
Pind Daan is a ritual following the death of a person. The director has used the term in a very metaphorical way to communicate the angst within a person.
The narrative takes you on a roller coaster ride of a man in Khakee shown to also possess this vulnerable side through the young protagonist, Shiv. As invincible as a man in uniform may look, there is always a vulnerable human within.
Director Divyansh Pandit successfully transports the viewer to live the sensitive side of Shiva, by bringing to fore a very pertinent and important social issue in our society that usually gets ignored.
The art direction and screenplay need special mention. The transformation of Yatin Karyekar from young to old is noteworthy, so is his expression as he slips into the character. Aadil Jaipuri has a pleasing screen presence and a well sculpted body to don the uniform, that he carries with elan.
Short Film: Pind Daan
Director: Divyansh Pandit
Cast: Aadil Jaipuri, Yatin Karyekar, Divyangana Jain, Aseema Bhatt, Aniket Sanghvi, Kalyani Sakhlunkar, Aneesh Tattikota, Shanaya Singh
Duration: 29 mins
Streaming on: Youtube
