Bahar Aa Chaman Prakash is heartfelt story of hope against hope

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For starters, let me mention that this short film (essentially of 12 minutes duration) has been selected under the Indian Competition Section at the prestigious Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF, India’s only Oscar-Qualifying Festival and the largest short film festival in India).

For another, MYRND Movies’ Bahar Aa Chaman Prakash! marks the production debut of Namashi Chakraborty, son of the legendary Mithun Chakraborty, and he dons the actor’s part on screen again after last year’s Bad Boy.

Films, series and short films about gays and the LGBTQIA+ section in general are spilling out rather in excess in the past decade. But what marks out this short and poignant story is the intensity in its hope-against-hope stance. Chaman (Namashi) has decided to oblige his widowed father (Amol Gupte) and marry a girl (Hemani Chawla) in an arranged marriage in which the actual arrangement is planned between Chaman and the girl. And that means Chaman and she will lead their own lives as the girl does not want children and she knows Chaman’s sexual stance! But now, Chaman and the girl have arrived at a different conclusion. And the wedding cards have already been printed!

Apprised of this for the first time, the shocked father first looks at this revelation as a kind of fault in his son, and talks of conventions, society and more. But when Chaman answers every query, he finally offers a solution that is very poignant and offers little solace to Chaman. The young man remains caring about his father, but his father, though he loves his son, has another idea. And in that phase, Chaman’s boyfriend Vir walks in almost like a sliver of hope.

With the end kept as a mix of hope, reality and intense emotions, the film offers a pragmatic look at life in its various shades. Namashi Chakraborty, who has been acting since an early age on stage, is singularly effective in the title-role. Amol Gupte is his usual effortlessly effective self as the suddenly-harangued father and his nuances are brilliant. Hemani Chawla, in an understated role, is exceptional in her expressions. Zalak Kumar as Vir has too brief a role.

Technically, the film is up to the mark. Namashi has also given the concept, while Prajakta Chhajed has written the gentle script in a very sensitive manner, which helps director Aniket Dabas give an equally heartfelt flavor to the story in which the title itself has more than one meaning. The film is co-produced by Shrikant Wattanwar and Sumukha Entertainment.