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Siblings are our first playmates. Pieces of our heart, our confidantes, it’s part of the unspoken pact that they keep looking out for each other in bad times. Despite all the trivial fights over the TV remote, the last slice of pizza, and who is Mom’s and Dad’s favourite, siblings’ love for each other is selfless and intransient. Life, however, works in unpredictable ways and a lot of times, relationships change.
Short film Siblings exploring the dynamics between two sisters who live together, looking out for a comatose father and a frail old grandmother.
Produced by Bijoy Nambiar, the film is directed by first-time writer-director, Sheetal Menon. Menon herself portrays the role of Divya, the younger sister while Shivani Tanksale plays the role of the older sister, Nidhi.
In this coming of age story, the two siblings share an apartment in a typical Bombay locality, carrying with them the baggage of a responsibility that they owe each other and their family.
The predicament these young adults find themselves in leads to their personal goals and aspirations taking a back seat as they try to make themselves more and more available to their family.
The story of these girls may resonate with young adults who try to fend for themselves in a big city. The siblings’ struggles, however, are far from simple. Bitterness is heightened between the two of them as they try to remind each other of their respective sacrifices for the wellbeing of their family. In a way, their relationship holds an uncanny similarity to the typical portrayal of couples going through a mid-life crisis.
The two, however, always find a way back to each other, as they are confronted with the impending question of how long they will be able to continue to care for a father who is probably never going to be alive the way he once used to be.
The film raises some unsaid questions, one being about how obligated an individual is towards their kin. In an economically challenging world, does one look after their individual well-being or that of their family’s?
The short film was premiered last year at the Jio MAMI Film Festival and bagged four awards – for the Best Director (Fiction), Best Film (Fiction), Best Actress, and the Best Writing.
You can watch this beautiful short film here.
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