HYDERABAD: As the world increasingly depends on isolation to keep Covid-19 at bay, many are locked down in their houses facing this new experience. But is isolation all that new? A short film, Polar Night, starring Hyderabad-based classical dancer Patruni Chidananda Sastry explores the theme of ‘quarantine’ and how to see a silver lining. A Polar Night is a phenomenon in which night lasts more than 24 hours. The psychological and emotional journey of the protagonist in the film, which has been directed by Rakesh Asileti, is an analogy of the current situation of people under lockdown.
Says Chidananda, “The film, which also stars Sonakshi Verma, is an artistic display of the current time of ‘Quarantine’ and the quest to see the light behind. The story revolves around a guy who is placed in a geographical location where the city witnesses a rare geographical phenomenon called ‘Polar Night’ and how his relationships with people around him gets affected. The intent of the movie to is to show the audience the normality of isolation and its impact on human beings. It shows how people in multiple geographies are bound to live a lifestyle of isolation daily.
Rakesh, the director of the film, says: “The duration of the movie, which is in English, is five minutes. It was shot with a smartphone, and edited on Windows Movie Maker. It was made with just two persons at one time, one being in front of the camera, and the other being behind it. We used a mobile phone and basic editing tools to complete the film to convey a message on utilisation of resources. The entire movie was shot within a single room.” The team is now looking for the right online platform to publish the movie. The other lead, Sonakshi, has acted in plays in the city. Patruni Sastry is a drag performer, performance artist and expressionist dancer. Rakesh, who was a software professional, now writes scripts for both English and Telugu films.
— Kakoli Mukherjee kakoli_mukherjee@newindianexpress.com @KakoliMukherje2