KOCHI: A visibly distressed woman can be seen sitting at the gynec clinic. As she is visiting the doctor for an abortion, she watches women in various stages of pregnancy pass by.
We are not ready for a second child, she informs, but the gynaecologist gives her a chilling suggestion - why doesn’t she kill her two-year-old instead of the unborn? The Decision, Kiran Prasad’s ten-minute short film, is woven around this serious-yet-delicate subject of abortion.
The Decision was inspired by a facebook post, says the director. “Most of the people think abortion as a clinical procedure. They are hardly aware of the fact that life begins at the moment of conception. Abortion is not the process of removing something, but destroying an innocent life,” he adds.
Shyama, the central character in the film, insists she cannot afford to raise a second child. “But what she doesn’t understand is that there is not difference between her son and the unborn child. Once they realise this, no woman will be willing to take the step,” says Kiran.
There are women who argue that pregnancy and childbirth will affect their careers. “Shyama thinks pregnancy will stop her from finding a job. But abortion can always lead to future medical complications and unwanted health conditions. The chance of miscarriages in the future will be more if you undergo the termination procedure.”
Kiran says he discussed the subject with a couple of medical professionals before filming. “I wanted to make sure that there are no factual errors. There are many couples who undergo infertility treatment after they abort the first child. I wanted to convey the seriousness of the act through the film,” he says. The Decision has Anu and Narendran Sreekumar stepping into the lead roles and the short film is produced by Rajesh Bhaskaran Nair.