Zindagi In Short review: This Guneet Monga-helmed anthology offers compelling vignettes of the extraordinary within the ordinary

The latest in the anthology films that seem to be the flavour in Hindi cinema is Zindagi In Short, comprising seven short films directed by Gautam Govind Sharma, Punarvasu Naik, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, Smrutika Panigarhi, Vinay Chhawal, Vijayeta Kumar and Rakesh Sain. The films delve into situations that arise in the lives of ordinary people ranging from love and camaraderie to infidelity, neglect, bullying and even abuse.

First in the line-up is the heartwarming Chhaju Ke Dahi Bhalle, the story of a young Sikh, Amreek (Manjot Singh), and a Muslim, Ambreen (Aisha Ahmed), who find each other on a dating site and fall in love. Written and directed by Gautam Govind Sharma and shot on an iPhone and Sony, the film looks at the looming spectre of the Partition of India as distances are sometimes found to be greater than one imagines them to be. The film navigates the terrain of orthodox religion through the enthusiasm of young lovers aided by technology.

From the courtship of the young love birds, the anthology moves to Sleeping Partner, a hard-hitting story that looks at the oppressed life of a married woman Beena (Divya Dutta), subjected to domestic violence and abuse by her husband (Sanjay Kapoor). When the desire of another man makes her realize the possibility of an alternative life, she finds the courage to tread on a different path.

The film begins on a high note, but the script by Charudutt Acharya demands more. There are inconsistencies in the characters and the hackneyed ending does not do justice to the nuances that emerge in the film.

In sharp contrast to this is Pinni, superbly enacted by Neena Gupta, who plays a housewife whose world primarily consists of the kneading, chopping, grinding, pounding and cooking activities that take up her life. Everyone loves the pinnis she makes, but none has time for her. Brilliantly written and directed by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, the rebellious milieu in the country provides the perfect backdrop for the housewife's protest.

The next in the anthology, Swahaa, is simply hilarious with Deepak Dobriyal playing the unsuspecting cuckold to perfection, as a voice in the loo tells him that his too-pretty-to-be-his wife (Isha Talwar) is cheating on him. Marital drama unfolds during the wedding of his brother as the wife uses ingenious arguments to justify her actions. Expertly written and directed by Smrutika Panigarhi, the film lays bare the expectations in a marriage while subtly drawing our attention towards the ways in which conventional mores trap couples.

Sunny Side Upar takes us amidst hospital wards to the story of a young carefree doctor (Rima Kallingal), whose outlook on life changes when reality hits home. In a workplace surrounded by patients, the doctor needs a dose of sunshine when she learns of her brother’s illness and must find hope in the unlikeliest of places.

Thappad, also shot on an iPhone, is the most fun among the shorts, with a parody of the Western genre and a hat tip to the comics as it looks at the endearing relationship between a brother and sister. When a shy, reticent kid realizes that the street bullies are eyeing his sister, he must step up and become the hero he so often reads about in the comics. In its theme and stylized cinematography, the film stands out from the rest.

The last film, Nano So Phobia by Rakesh Sain, is one where an old Parsi woman (Swaroop Sampat) is slowly losing track of reality and becoming senile. Or so others think. With Sriram Raghavan, the master of the thriller genre, being thanked in the opening credits, one does not know quite what to expect in this tale with a twist.

It is evident that Academy award-winning producer Guneet Monga has a keen eye for spotting talent and stories that resonate with the audience. Each of the films is distinct from the others and takes us through a gamut of emotions, leaving us with a smile. Different relationships come to the fore — from that between lovers and married couples to the relationship of siblings and that between a doctor and a patient, and even one’s relationship with reality. The situations presented make one pause and think about the characters.

With fine writing overall, the films are a bit uneven in their execution, but that is forgivable and not jarring. We would like to see more stories like these, please.

Zindagi In Short is streaming now on the Flipkart Video app.