by Suman Gupta
National: The last few years have laid the foundation for the regional language content surge, with Indians choosing to consume media and entertainment in their own language. Focusing on their growing affinity towards the regional content, ShortsTV added the Desi Tadka segment showcasing the best regional language short films – with subtitles in English. Adding to its existing library of various regional titles, Desi Tadka will now also feature Malayalam and Punjabi shorts films. Viewers can now experience stories from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, and Punjab.
The Malayalam short films comprises of thought-provoking films like Aswadakan and nerve-hitting films like Men at My Door. Aswadakan is a short film that explores the moral dilemmas faced by an artist in the modern-day context. Is his art important? Does his art need a connoisseur? Directed by Suraj Varma, the film is an attempt to find answers for these predicaments. Men at My Door is a 17-minutes short psycho-thriller film. The story revolves around a couple in a long-distance affair that finally comes to their desired conclusion. But their intimate moments are interrupted when an uninvited guest comes calling.
The Punjabi catalogue includes riveting films like Khoon Aali Chithi and Zahida. Khoon Aali Chithi is a powerful story produced by Richa Chadda that recreates the environs of rural Punjab. The film discusses violence in Punjab with militant and fake encounters as the teenager dithers over writing a love letter to his beloved in blood. Zahida is a super inspiring story of the first female taxi driver in Pakistan. She is independent, confident, and believes in breaking the stereotype. This film is her story of struggle, fight, and empowerment.
