There are times when you know exactly how a film or a book is going to end. The hero ends up with the heroine, the villain goes to jail, the snitch gets gets caught — cinema is replete with examples of instant karma. But then there are times when the end leaves you more than a bit shocked.
Selected in last year’s Filmfare Short Film Award, Lallan From Allahabad, is written, produced and directed by Divyansh Pandit. There’s virtually nothing complicated about the plot. In fact it is it’s predictable simplicity that dupes you into thinking you know exactly how the story will end.
As the title of the film suggests, the film is about Lallan, played endearingly well by actor Anand Sharma. His UP accent is off by miles, oftentimes even forgetting that he has one; but Sharma definitely has his moments.
Lallan’s family has sent him to the city to work as the househelp at a rich man’s house. The lure? Any help who’s gotten the master of the house’s stamp of approval ends up with a government job. The downside? The master of the house is an entitled prick and pleasing him is no mean feat. A chance encounter with a neighbouring househelp reveals Lallan has a temper he finds difficult to control and from here on the story goes off on a tangent, but not one you’d regret watching.
The film may or may not have been written keeping regional stereotypes and prejudices in mind, but it definitely puts that message across succinctly. And that, turns out to be a bigger hero than the film’s protagonist from Allahabad.
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Also read: #ShortWatch: ‘One Last Question’ Forces Us To Deal With Issues We’d Rather Sweep Under The Rug
