- Wednesday, September 27, 2023
By: Mohnish Singh
Prime Video’s Hindi anthology, Unpaused: Naya Safar dropped just a week ago on the service. The anthology consists of five short films, directed by Ayappa KM, Nagraj Manjule, Ruchir Arun, Shikha Makan, and Nupur Asthana.
Each film delves into relatable challenges that the pandemic inflicted upon everyone across the globe. From stressing the need of embracing a positive outlook towards life, to hard-hitting stories, here are five reasons why you should watch Unpaused: Naya Safar this weekend.
Nagraj Manjule’s Hindi debut:
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Marathi actor-director Nagraj Manjule makes his Hindi acting-direction debut with the short segment, titled Vaikunth. Manjule’s film is a dark and brutal truth about an unordinary covid hero – a crematorium worker. While a sense of darkness revolves throughout the course of the film, the end leaves on a note of hope and a lesson that everyone has to come to realise in the past two years – family is everything.
Watch it for Geetanjali:
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In the segment titled War Room, Geetanjali Kulkarni wins heart as she acts behind a mask. In a 20-minute segment, Geetanjali, who plays a volunteer at Covid War Room, emotes the myriad of emotions that a Covid warrior goes through while hiding behind a face mask in most parts. Beautifully encapsulated by director Ayappa KM, War Room leaves you in awe with its crisp story and Geetanjali’s class apart act.
Relatable millennial couples:
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Directed by Nupur Asthana, The Couple is a story about a millennial couple, whose life turns upside down when the wife is laid off from her job. The sweet and simple story takes us through the ups and downs in the life of a couple, as it takes us closer to the reality of a millennial couple stuck in the pandemic, juggling between working from home and working for him. The film stars Priyanshu Painyuli and Shreya Dhanwanthary.
Saqib’s slice-of-life film:
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Ruchir Arun’s film, Teen Tigada, starring Saqib Saleem, Ashish Verma, and Sam Moham as three thieves who are holding out a big loot in an abandoned factory and can not go back to their homes because of the sudden lockdown in the state. The three thieves, who are in a foul mood for being stuck and unable to go home, turn into comrades and find ways to reunite with their loved ones and to be with them during the nationwide lockdown.
A heart-warming tale of mom’s love:
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Shikha Makan’s story Gond Ke Laddu presents a heartwarming tale of a mom’s love as she learns new-age technology and online services to send out a courier to her daughter, who has just delivered a baby. A tale of a middle-aged woman, who is suspicious about the internet but still takes a step and puts her faith in the online services, understanding the need of the hour. The segment stars Neena Kulkarni, Darshana Rajendran, and Lakshvir Singh Saran.
With pandemic as a theme at its core, each film ends with a note of hope, emphasising holding on to hope, faith, and positivity.
