A mother is massaging her small kid’s head, and she curiously asks what he was saying outside about the jungle and what to do if a girl harasses him. The kid pretty calmly announces that today he has learned a new game. ‘If any girl misbehaves and you want to teach her a lesson, pick her up and take her to the jungle,’ he says and reveals how a girl in his school slapped a boy because he pulled her hair braid. ‘Does it ever happen that a girl hits a boy?’ he questions. ‘Now she will harass nobody.’ The mother just stares shockingly as she descends into her worried thoughts.
RSVP Movies released just a small snippet of 58 seconds out of 33 minutes of the short film, Natkhat, starring Vidya Balan, who has also co-produced the film with Ronnie Screwvala four months ago when it was eligible for nomination in the Best Short Film category at Oscars 2021. From then on there was quite a buzz surrounding this film. Comments on YouTube and Twitter were filled with questions like when was it getting released and where to watch it.
Good news! The time has arrived. Natkhat premiers on 24th July, as one of the seven movies to be released on Voot App as a part of Voot Select Film Festival.
Umpteen number of short movies reach our phone screens, but there is just a handful that creates an impact in the least amount of time (Read, 2020’s Devi – 13 minutes). Natkhat will also aim to reach this category. And it will. Because movies like these should be seen and appreciated.
A child in his growing years learns from his parents and surroundings. Imagine what will happen if the small, innocent brain sees domestic violence, patriarchy, and toxic masculinity and shows off his daring act of abducting a girl from his school to the jungle. The men are full of praises while the women of the house, who are covered in sarees have no choice but to become mere spectators. The bruises on their bodies are a handful of reminders what happens when a man’s thought is challenged.
In today’s time, it has become very important to give the right teachings to small kids. Be it a boy or a girl, what they will learn at an early age, they will carry on for life.
It would have been a hard-hitting drama had this subject was explored as a full-fledged film. Nevertheless, a short film, too, is very much capable to start a conversation. Directed by Shaan Vyas, who has been a producer for some amazing movies like The Lunchbox, Shahid, and Masaan, Natkhat hits exactly where it hurts the most. And hence, this should be a must-watch film for you.