Keyur Seta
Mumbai, 18 Jun 2022 11:00 IST
The 21-minute documentary looks at the challenging epoch through the eyes of a child.
The lockdown imposed by the Indian government in 2020 amid the outbreak of COVID-19 affected different individuals in different ways. Due to the complex nature of the period, it is impossible to view it from a single prism.
Director Subash Sahoo’s 21-minute documentary Teen Adhyay looks at the lockdown in Mumbai through the eyes of his little boy. The child, having been trapped inside the house like most of us that year, spends his time looking outside the window. He finds a companion in a crow who builds a nest and lays eggs on the ledge.
The child spends his time trying to interact with the bird, feeding it occasionally. His activity not only provides him with a means to pass his time but also fills him with hope.
Sahoo has divided the film into three parts [hence, the title] with each section portraying the different journeys the people underwent during the lockdown.
The film features no human interactions but it doesn’t matter. The artistic and poetic manner in which the lockdown is captured in different parts of the city is enough to keep you engrossed just like a gripping feature film would. And just like a feature film, it follows a proper narrative structure, with the last part turning out to be moving. Sounds such as the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others play a part in it.
The film has a passing reference to the ordeal the migrant workers went through. If the maker wanted to highlight this aspect, he could have delved deeper into the subject or avoided it altogether since the film is about the positive experiences of the child.
It's no overstatement that the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown were like a punishment that was inflicted on the entire world. But even amidst such a serious calamity, one can find hope, especially if you are a child. Teen Adhyay highlights this exceedingly well.
Teen Adhyay was screened at the 17th Mumbai International Film Festival on 1 June 2022
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