Disney+ Hotstar has dropped the trailer for its upcoming short film ‘Birth’ and this feminist thriller is one to lookout for. Helmed by critically acclaimed, young Indian filmmaker Shyam Sunder (‘Kuthiraivaal’), ‘Birth’ is slated to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 27th August, 2022.
‘Birth’ trailer begins with Meera (Shreya Dhanwanthary), a female entrepreneur who begins to have panic attacks and Braxton Hicks in her eighth month of pregnancy, being encouraged by her husband Sushant as to how she will make a great mother. Thereafter she joins a maternity centre for mothers-to-be called ‘Happy Moms’ run by the matronly and domineering Mama Nithya (Lillete Dubey).
The centre seemingly focuses on alternative pregnancy counselling and birthing practises. These practices mould select mothers into being capable of birthing ‘Champion Babies’ – overachievers who will become the creme de la creme of tomorrow’s society.
In her last phase of pregnancy Meera is confused and overwhelmed all at the same time and it’s during this time that Mama Nithya inducts her into the queer practises of Happy Moms, including preparations for a ‘silent birth’ devoid of an epidural and Meera unconsciously begins to replace her own thoughts and priorities with the group’s beliefs.
Meera starts to believe in everything and immerses herself in the extreme practises of the centre – in a concerted effort to be fully prepared for her impending motherhood. Despite being lost in this new world, Meera accidentally gets a fleeting glimpse of clarity, when she detects a glaring lie that has been sold to her. Jolting her back to the reality of her near brainwashed state, Meera fights back to break out of the constraints that Mama Nithya and her maternity centre have manipulatively imposed upon her.
However, on trying to climb out of this vicious pit, she begins to realise just how deep this conspiracy to condition her, to make her the mother of a ‘Champion Baby, actually runs – as deep as her own family and friends.
‘Birth’ is a 25-minute satirical feminist thriller that takes on the journey of a woman faced with motherhood, not as a choice, but as an absolute necessity for women in general. Boundless Media’s first international short film ‘Birth’ is directed by Shyam Sunder and produced by Natasha Malpani Oswal of Boundless Media. Birth stars Shreya Dhanwanthary and Lilette Dubey in lead roles with Abeer Mehervish, Aanchal Chauhan, and Natasha Iyer in pivotal roles.
A gripping thriller short film ‘Birth’ will premiere on Disney+Hotstar on 27th August 2022.
Watch the trailer for ‘Birth’ here