Released much before the lockdown came into force, Anubhav Anand's quiet contemplation of life acquires new meaning in the current vulnerable state of isolation.
Chintu review: A quiet needed conversation with the self is a good lockdown lesson
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 2020 / 11min
Shriram Iyengar | Mumbai, 15 Apr 2020 22:00 IST
People all over the world are having to come to terms with their own selves, more than anything else, in the current state of lockdown across the country. Those privileged to not have worries of daily survival have to deal with issues of isolation. As the saying goes, 'If you are lonely when you are alone, you are bad company.' In Anubhav Anand's short film Chintu, the protagonist goes on a nostalgic journey into the past that is partly cathartic, partly amusing.
The story begins with Annup Sonii's tired corporate boss taking a break from his daily rigmarole to go back to his childhood home and clear up some issues. Before we can learn what the issues are, he stumbles upon his imaginary friend, a stuffed monkey, and starts a conversation.
The entire short film is a monologue, constructed to pose questions that answer themselves. From the beginning, Sonii's protagonist makes it clear he is not there out of some sentimental nostalgia but as a formality. Yet, it is the nostalgia that reminds him of how simple it was to enjoy life before the complexities overtook it all. Despite his prosperity, exemplified by a new penthouse and a Mercedes car, he envies the freedom, convenience and lazy imagination that his little Chintu enjoys. Perhaps, he wishes to find it again, like his friend.
Anand's film is simple and moves in a predictable direction. That does not mean it is not amusing. Taking a simple premise, it turns the gaze inwards as we finally discover the real Chintu. It also adds a touch of philosophy to an otherwise nostalgic experience. Aranya Bais's camera also makes the character break the fourth wall often, bringing the audience into the story.
While it is simple, an audience locked up within their houses, struggling to get on with themselves, will find a new dimension in the story that speaks to the child in all of us.