Sonal Pandya
Mumbai, 25 Dec 2021 7:30 IST
Written and directed by Zoya Parvin, the Amazon miniTV short film features fine performances by Amrita Puri and Aisha Ahmed.
A tense, awkward reunion begins Zoya Parvin’s Clean (2021) as two sisters, Saba (Amrita Puri) and Mehr (Aisha Ahmed), face each other after a long time. The tension crackles in the air as the family reunites for a home-made lunch of mutton curry.
But as is the case with family gatherings, they are never simple or straightforward. A medical emergency derails the reunion Mehr was hoping for and the sisters finally rail out the difficult emotions they had been holding in all this while.
Parvin’s film packs in a lot that has been simmering under the surface in its short 21-minute runtime. Puri’s Saba initially comes in harsh and unforgiving, until a secret reveals her hidden fear. The vulnerable Mehr, who has been trying hard the entire day, finally has that heart-to-heart with her elder sister. And yet, there is more that needs to be said.
With dialogues by Anurag Kashyap, Clean is more than just a story about recovery and addiction. It is also about grace and forgiveness, a good reminder at Christmas.
The short’s two female leads are wonderful as they give in to the inevitable fight that has been building up for a while. The camera, too, watches them from a slight distance, as if not wanting to disturb their private moment. Both actresses bring out the inner worries that have plaguing them even if they come out in a hurtful manner.
Produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain, Clean is a brief but insightful look into family and the bonds that tie it together.
Clean is now available on Amazon miniTV via Amazon’s shopping app.