In recent times, short films have achieved something that has been missing from mainstream cinema – giving voice to the numerous homemakers and highlighting their trials and tribulations through the prism of their mundane life. A few weeks ago, Shefali Shah in Juice managed to shoot daggers at her husband and all the other men present in her living room when all she simply did was drag a chair, sit in front of the cooler, and sip on some cold juice.
In Chhuri, starring Tisca Chopra, there’s little dialogue going in the beginning. Meera is seen feeding her children, preparing breakfast, getting ready on a bright Sunday morning. Her husband Sharad (Anurag Kashyap) is seen reading a newspaper while also smirking at all the incessant texts he’s been receiving. Without saying much, he dresses up and proceeds to leave.
“Dad, you were supposed to drive me to swimming class,” his daughter exclaims, with Meera waiting for an explanation. But with the smirk still on, and a flimsy excuse about work that no one is convinced about, he leaves the house. Meera looks pensive, almost resigned to her fate.
Sharad heads to his mistress’ house, played by Surveen Chawla. When things get hot and heavy, Meera appears at the doorstep. While Sharad hides, and an awkward interaction ensues between Meera and the ‘other woman’.
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Meera cuts to the chase, says she is willing to share her husband and starts allotting days. There is histrionic, no reproach, no accusations. In a matter of fact way, she manages to extract from Sharad’s lover that he is not the only man she is involved with. Opening the can of worms, she makes her exit with a look of triumph.
Tisca, in a role similar to the one she portrayed in Chutney, has the upper hand. She knows what her philandering husband has been doing, but instead of confronting him, she makes it clear that she isn’t the dumb one here. She uses the situation to her advantage, and emerges as the one who walks away with a smirk on her face.
Watch the short film here, directed by Mansi Jain: