Samir Tewari's short film, starring Annup Sonii and Sandhya Mridul, dwells on how the past comes back to haunt people.
Level 13 review: Unexpected ending makes this passable relationship drama worth a watch
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 04 Dec 2019 / 14min
Sukhpreet Kahlon
|
New Delhi, 18 Aug 2020 19:05 IST
Updated: 19 Aug 2020 9:50 IST
The short fiction film Level 13, directed by Samir Tewari, explores relationships and the ways in which the past may come back to haunt us.
Rohit (Annup Sonii) is a sycophantic employee who is anxious to be on time for a party at his boss’s house. He instructs his wife Priya (Sandhya Mridul), who is addicted to video games, to mingle with guests at the party, and especially with the boss’s wife, to create a good impression.
When they reach the party, Rohit realizes that the boss’s wife Sonal (Swati Semwal) is his ex-girlfriend from college. There is some tension between the two as Rohit had dumped Sonal unceremoniously.
Rohit is flustered when he sees Sonal and wishes to make amends. Sonal is well settled in her life and does not want to delve into the past. But as old wounds are brought to the surface, some unpleasant truths tumble out.
Sonii and Mridul share an easy chemistry and are well suited to playing a couple exasperated with each other's habits. She mocks her husband for being a sycophant; he criticizes her for being unsocial.
The underlying tension between the two is foregrounded and contrasted with the easygoing relationship between the boss and his wife, where the man cannot get over his spouse's beauty!
Sonii is a tad hammy in his portrayal of the overenthusiastic employee trying to please the boss. Semwal's character is pretty one-dimensional. But Mridul excels in her portrayal of the bored wife just going through the motions.
The music is a bit jarring and the screenplay laboured, especially in creating the milieu of the party and filling the gaps in the conversation. However, the unexpected ending of the film, which was nominated for the Filmfare Short Film awards this year, makes it worth a watch.