Tokri review: Father-daughter relationship shows love and understanding

National Award-winning filmmaker Suresh Eriyat and his team at Studio Eeksaurus have created a wonderfully clay animated short, Tokri/Basket, that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions — you will smile, you might cry and you will definitely be moved.

With incredibly detailed sets and characters, the film introduces us to a family consisting of a father, mother and their little girl. We never know their names, but stepping into their little home on the footpath, we know their story.

The parents both work and their little girl attends school, but every evening they gather to eat their dinner together as a family. One night, as everyone is asleep, the father wakes up and opens a tin suitcase. Inside is a photo of him receiving an award from the late president APJ Abdul Kalam, along with a gold clock, lovingly wrapped up in a cloth.

His daughter, who is supposed to be asleep, curiously sneaks a peek. The next day, she climbs up high to check on said suitcase and finds the prized possessions. A sudden noise startles her and the gold clock drops to the floor, shattering to pieces.

Worried and guilty, she keeps quiet. That night, her father opens the suitcase and lets out a wail when he sees his clock in pieces. He walks out of the house, distraught and onto the street.

Soon the once-close father and daughter are lost in their own thoughts, preoccupied with their troubles. Will they reconcile? Will her father forgive her? To know their resolution, you must watch Tokri (The Basket).

The story is simply told, but packs a wallop on the emotional front. The 15-minute short film, produced by Nilima Eriyat, took seven years to bring to the big screen. The process of clay animation is long and laborious but the team’s efforts behind the scenes have paid off with this rich little film.

Tokri does a remarkable job of pulling us right into the environment of bustling city life and then later, of a cozy home on the street. Additionally, we instantly empathize with the two main characters — the father and his daughter, with a simple touch or a look, they convey so much meaning.

Watching the mostly silent film, the writer was reminded of the American studio, Pixar that deftly moulds story and substance in their films. I would say Studio Eeksaurus does the same here. Don't miss it!

Tokri was screened at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2018 on 30 January 2018.