Bollywood in Shorts

Has Bollywood lost its plot lately? Maybe. Or maybe not, that’s up to you. In the meantime, while you think about this carefully, here are seven Hindi short films with familiar faces from the Bollywood industry that might help you make a decision about transitioning into the world of Indian short films (not limited to Hindi or Bollywood actors, but let’s ease into it, shall we?)

1. Rogan Josh

Image source: YouTube

Starring recognisable faces Naseeruddin Shah and Shishir Sharma, Rogan Josh takes place over a dinner gathering to celebrate Vijay Kapoor’s (Naseeruddin Shah) birthday and things don’t remain all so fun and happy as the occasion would suggest. Give it a watch and you’ll know what we’re talking about. Watch it once for the film, and then watch it once again to try and pick up on all the little easter eggs and details. This short film is directed by Sanjeev Vig.

2. Chutney

Image source: IMDb

Tisca Chopra, Rasika Duggal and Adil Hussain bring us a ‘spicy’ tale of an affair directed by Jyoti Kapur Das. Watch what happens when the wife invites the woman her husband is having an affair with, over for some Pakoras and Chutney.

3. Kheer

Image source: darpanmagazine

Some Kheer, some crushes, and some friendship. This short film directed by Surya Balakrishnan starring Anupam Kher is about the interaction between a grandfather and his grandchildren when they land up unexpectedly at his house to find an unknown lady sitting in his living room. Is she going to be their new Nani? The visibly sceptical granddaughter tries to find out.

4. Love Shots

Image source: Yash Raj Films

Not a short film but a series of short films with actors like Nimrat Kaur, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi, Saqib Salim, Tillotama Shome, Farida Jalal and many more, Love Shots is stories about… you guessed it… love! But not just the typical Bollywood kind, so give this series directed by Ankur Tewari, and brought to you by Y Films, a shot! (Yes, that was a sad attempt at a pun, sorry.)

5. Devi

Image source: IMDb

This one has a long list of famous names – Kajol, Shruti Hassan, Neha Dhupia, Neena Kulkarni, are just a few of them. The story takes place in a small room filled with women. Arguments ensue about who deserves to be there when a new member enters this room that is already quite crowded. We don’t want to give too much away about this film directed by Priyanka Banerjee, it's best if you just watch it. Really.

6. Ahalya

Image Source: IMDb

This short film by Sujoy Ghosh is a modern retelling of the story of Ahalya or Ahilya starring Radhika Apte and the late Soumitra Chatterjee. Suspense and surprise would be the perfect words to describe this short film. So, if you like thrillers with unimagined twists, this one's for you.

7. Juice

Image source: IMDb

Shefali Shah is the star of this short film directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, and at first, the film seems like it’s about just another couple hosting their friends for a gathering, but soon we see how gender roles within this gathering are subtly highlighted. The last scene is worth the wait!

All of these short films are available on YouTube. Happy Binging!