Halaahal

Familial drama in this short film from filmmaker Saurabh Arora, Halaahal (meaning Poison) is a striking tragedy soaked in emotional performances and pulsing tension. 

Asif (Priyanshu Raj) and Pritha (Sonali Pandey) are falling deeply in love but a formidable shadow prevents them from bringing their relationship into the light in the form of Pritha’s brother Arjun (Mohan Chandra). The latter, whilst a childhood friend of Asif, would not take kindly to finding out the two of them are in a romantic relationship due to deep-seated prejudices. Pritha passionately begs Asif to speak to her brother so they can proceed with their partnership but as the moment nears, Asif has an unspeakable decision to make. 

Halaahal showcases a significant amount of filmmaking strengths from Sarabh Arora. His previous film Pulse impressed us greatly, and here we see a similarly engrossing short film. It plays upon dramatic devices well to immerse the audience in the growing tension between the characters but also plays with the timelines. Scenes of Asif early on in the film give an indication of what’s to come and this vamps up the brooding atmosphere as we watch on. Clever angles are also utilised to ensure the space is being used well, allowing the viewer to feel like a fly on the wall in this unfolding drama. 

The performances are good, in particular Priyanshu Raj as the conflicted best friend/boyfriend. There are moments where all three actors give in to melodrama that may irk some viewers. The strongest scene is where Asif and Arjun face on across a table of tea, the incredible tension that has been build is a phenomenal experience for audiences, enhanced by a terrific musical score. 

Some of the scenes felt repetitive, there are numerous scenes where Pritha pesters Asif about speaking to Arjun and because of the non-linear timeline, these become slightly confusing and irksome. Instead, audiences may have benefitted from more of the happier moments between the pair, showcasing their blossoming relationship in a more positive light, making the drama and tragedy that ensues more potent. 

That being said, Halaahal is a powerful and poignant tale of star-crossed lovers for the modern age. The regretfully enduring pockets of prejudice and racism that still exist within our communities feels as dangerous as it has ever done and the unfortunate consequences this has for young love is equally as tragic.