Kushal Srivastava, director of the Kay Kay Menon-starrer Vodka Diaries (2018), has come up with a short film titled Speed Dial.
It stars Shreyas Talpade and Aksha Pardasany, who received acclaim for her performance in the Sony web-series Kathmandu Connection.
The film will be released on 26 August on the YouTube channel 8 PM Premium Black Music CDs.
A statement from the makers read, “The film depicts the story of Kabir, essayed by Talpade, whose life changes drastically when luck shines on him, turning his world around for the better.”
Srivastava had earlier tried working with Talpade but his plans failed to materialize. "Like everyone else, I also admired Mr Shreyas’s performances. I had met him a year back for a web film, although it didn't work out then. But as they say, no effort is ever wasted. We ended up working finally in Speed Dial. His comic timing and the nuances in his performances are exceptional. This character of Kabir was written keeping him in mind," he said.
Srivastava added, “Kabir is initially under-confident and is ready to give up his life but a mystical phone changes his life for the better. I don’t think anybody else could have played this character better. He has enlivened the film to another level. I am thankful to him for being a part of this film since this is also his first short film (sic)."
The filmmaker said directors must challenge the audience and give it something new each time. "OTT platforms are doing tremendously well when it comes to fresh content. Apart from thrillers, I would also like to explore other genres as well, be it [in] films or web series. I want to do something that’s not been done in the past. It's time to shake things up!" he said.