‘Short’cut to Cannes

Cannes is on everybody’s mind right now for obvious reasons— celebrity spotting, hot gossip, filmi banter and of course, India’s presence at the prestigious event. This year, joining the bandwagon of Indian films to be showcased there, is Chana, a 15-minute film, directed by Nikhil Pherwani and produced by Vishaal Desai. The film will be premiering in the Short Film Corner Section, as the second chapter of a Short Film Series titled ‘Sinners’, which consists of seven short stories with a common underlying theme — the seven deadly sins.

Nikhil couldn’t be more elated. “It’s a huge thing to be selected at Cannes and we are really excited. It means global recognition,” he says, adding about the film, “Abhishek Reddy, who’s previously worked in the film Stanley Ka Dabba, plays 11-year-old Chana. He is a hungry boy unable to satiate that hunger and therefore his perceptions of the world around him are affected by his state of mind.”

Nikhil is no novice to cinema. Having worked on films like Stanley Ka Dabba and Dil Toh Bachha Hai Ji, he’s not nervous at all. Given the fact India is a subject in a lot of Hollywood projects now, Nikhil is sure that his film too will manage to pique the interest of foreign audiences. And he’s all praises for his kid protagonist: “Abhishek has done a fantastic job. He walked barefoot on scorching streets without any fuss and has done whatever was required of his role. He’s a thorough professional.”

Shot in Lonavla, the film deals with child labour and Chana’s ironical struggle for food despite working at a highway dhaba.