Unpaused consists of five short stories, each based on the theme of Coronavirus and lockdown. It is directed by prominent directors and some of the most reputed actors feature in these short segments, each of them being around 20-25 minutes in length.
1. Glitch (around 20 minutes)
Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK (Raj-DK), this is the probably the best story of the lot. It is set in the year 2030 and Covid-30 has wreaked havoc in the world! In this madness, a hypochondriac guy and an essential worker attempt to romance each other virtually. Reshu Nath’s story is scary as it’s dystopian but is also smart and engaging. Gulshan Devaiah is apt for the part. He is flawless and only he could have played this part so well. Saiyami Kher continues with her great work. Here, she plays a challenging part with ease. Komal Chhabria (Mala)’s voiceover has a crucial part. Saini S Johray‘s production design, Sumeet Kotian and Dharmendra Kakarala‘s editing and Ketan Sodha‘s background score and Harpreet Singh Sawhney‘s costumes are also praiseworthy.
2. The Apartment (around 25 minutes)
This is the longest story and slightly dragging in between. But it focuses on some important issues and keeps one hooked. The climax of this Nikkhil Advani-directed short is highly impactful. Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh‘s screenplay and dialogues are first-rate. Richa Chadha (wrongly mentioned as Richa Chadda) dominates the show. Her performance of a depressed person is very, very real. Ishwak Singh is very confident and also entertaining. Sumeet Vyas, as always is dependable.
3. Rat-A-Tat (around 23 minutes)
Directed by Tannishtha Chatterjee, this short is very heartwarming. It tells the story of a young girl moving into her cranky neighbour’s flat during the lockdown as a rat has entered the former’s place, petrifying her. How they discover each other forms the rest of the story. Devika Bhagat‘s story and screenplay and Ishita Moitra‘s dialogues deserve brownie points especially for organically depicting how both the characters warm up to each other and share their secrets with each other. A few nuances and aspects however could have been better utilized. Parichit Paralkar‘s production design deserves mention as the old neighbour’s house is authentic and also appealing. Lillete Dubey, seen in a project after ages, is terrific to say the least. Rinku Rajguru, too, manages to maintain a strong position. Her screen presence is electrifying. And watch out for the song ‘Badarva’ sung beautifully by Tannishtha Chatterjee!
4. Vishaanu (around 20 minutes)
Avinash Arun Dhaware, the acclaimed director of Killa and Paatal Lok and also cinematographer of Masaan, Drishyam, Hichki etc directs this short that starts off very well. It tells a story of a poor family in Mumbai which is trying to return back to their Rajasthan hometown at the peak of the lockdown. The choice of the subject is bang-on as we have all read and have been shocked about the hardships of the migrants when everything was shut. There’s also a bit of a déjà vu of Parasite as the family is staying in luxury in a sample flat of a under-construction skyscraper! Sadly, this film ends abruptly and it takes away the impact. Abhishek Banerjee is excellent as expected. But it’s Geetika Vidya Ohlyan who takes the cake. She is outstanding and the scene where she’s offered food is something to watch out for. What an actor!
5. Chand Mubarak (22 minutes)
Directed by Nitya Mehra, this short has it’s share of touching moments. But the impact is limited as the ending could have been better. Also, the character of Ratna Pathak Shah is very similar to that of the one played by Lillete Dubey in Rat-A-Tat. One wishes if the makers had made the character a male or added some unique traits in the female character (the back pain bit didn’t help much). Still, one wonders why come up with two stories which are more or less on the same lines? Wouldn’t it been great if the makers and producers had focuses on other areas of these theme like doctors, essential workers, delivery boys working in the lockdown? Nevertheless, both Ratna Pathak Shah and Shardul Bhardwaj (again, wrongly mentioned as Shardul Bhardhwaj) give their best shot.
On the whole, Unpaused is a fine attempt and deserves 113 minutes of your time. The five stories, based on the common theme of Coronavirus and lockdown, have been treated well and is sure to remind you of the horrible stay-at-home days that we have now thankfully left behind us. The first three stories are excellent but the last two leave a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, it’s worth watching.
My rating – *** ½ out of 5!