First few minutes into this short film and I was sure that there was a predictable twist coming — the guy is gay. As it progressed, I thought this was going to be a horror story, but I am glad that the writer and director, Kamakshi Varshney, proved me wrong.
I do not want to reveal the story, but all I can tell you is that it’s a surprisingly fresh take on grief. In our society, we truly underestimate what grief does to human beings. Our solution to everything is ‘get busy’ and you will forget everything. It doesn’t work that way. Moving on isn’t simple; it, in fact, has its own consequences. How you react to trauma, whether you process it the right way, or whether you accept what has happened and take time to allow it to sink in matters a lot. Even when you are surrounded by people, it sometimes becomes difficult to deal with loss, and if you are alone and have no one to confide in, it can affect you mentally, emotionally and also physically.
My New Neighbour opens with Meera, a single girl moving into a new building where she comes across her neighbour, Shaurya, whom she takes an interest in without wasting a minute. But the guy is aloof. He doesn’t seem very friendly, yet he is approachable. As Meera hears his conversations with his parents from her balcony and shares her interest in Shaurya with her friend, her friend suggests that Meera befriend Shaurya’s parents and see how things move ahead. As Meera tries to get close to Shaurya and his family, she discovers something that leaves her shaken.
I loved how Kamakshi handled this story. Shaurya’s character could have easily come across as someone who is losing his mental balance, but she drew a bold line and told the audience that he is simply processing grief in his own way. He very well knows what he is doing, and she decides to extend a hand of support. As the truth comes out, she stops trying to impress him or decode his behaviour in a desperate attempt to get his attention. She simply, on a human level, decides to be there for him.
Again, Kamakshi, as Meera, has beautifully handled this transition in her character. There are no dramatic scenes or dialogues that tell you that she is not judging him or trying to use his situation to her advantage by becoming his support system in times of need. She still wants to be there because he is struggling — and he is struggling alone. And in Meera, the audience sees hope for Shaurya.
I would end it by saying that, after a long time, I came across a short film that picked a micro-emotion from life and turned it into a perspective-changing tale about grief. Why am I calling it micro? Because we feel that life gets back to normal as time passes, and that grief is short-lived, but unfortunately, it is not. Whether you believe it or not, sometimes, it’s life-long.
Language: Hindi
