The short film, which has a runtime of only six minutes, stars Ankush Bahuguna and Shibani Bedi as a couple going through a break-up.
Cinestaan Curates: Almost is a heartfelt portrayal of break-ups during the pandemic
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 10 Aug 2020 / 6min
Sukhpreet Kahlon | New Delhi, 28 May 2021 14:16 IST
It has been more than a year since the pandemic began, and the effects on our social interaction during this time have been staggering. We have all become accustomed to meeting one another virtually and staring at screens for long periods of time.
In the midst of it all, relationships have suffered severely, as loved ones are unable to meet or be with each other and, in some cases, small cracks in a relationship have become gaping holes.
Ankush Bahuguna’s short film Almost is a pandemic film that explores one such relationship that is crumbling under the inevitability of its demise. The six-minute film captures the moment when a couple who have been together for a long period decide to call it quits. They do so in the only way they can, over a video call.
The couple, played by Bahuguna and Shibani Bedi, know their time is up, but like people who know and care for each other, they circle around the inevitable moment. She begins by expressing concern about him and he tries to put her at ease, putting on a brave front and respecting her decision, making this a very different kind of break-up. Both are heartbroken but realize what must be done.
Though the film is effectively a video call, the performances of both artistes keep one riveted. We get a glimmer of the arguments, the problems that must have existed between the two, their companionship, even their feeble attempt at suggesting they give it another shot. The ups and downs are signified through the simple conversation where there is regret at things not done together and the fact that the nature of the break-up is not ideal either.
The short film is written with a great deal of sensitivity and maturity by Bahuguna who ably captures the complexity and mixed emotions that one feels when letting go of a long-term companion. It also does not present the characters as right or wrong; simply as people who try to respectfully, lovingly, let each other go.
The film was shot within 11 minutes over a video call and released in August 2020. Watch it here.