Pulse

Following the passing of his wife, a man faces isolation and despair during COVID-19 lockdown.

Rajat was living a happy life with his wife Pritha until she passed away from an illness. Now he is going through lockdown in India and is struggling hard to deal with longterm isolation while at the same time mourning the loss of his beloved spouse. He spends a great deal of time looking at a picture of his wife and becomes very attached to the fingertip pulse oximeter that was applied to her finger during her final days, often using it on his own finger. The only person he seems to be communicating with appears to be his brother. As time goes by, Rajat finds it increasingly hard to cope and becomes more and more desperate.

This short emotional drama raises awareness of the negative effects lockdown has on people, especially if they are experiencing the consequences of loss. The audience observes how an individual goes from happiness to depression and unwillingness to carry on. Although the subject matter is distressing, there is joy in this film, as there are scenes that reveal the happiness that Rajat had with Pritha and a dream scene where she tries to encourage him to move on with his life. It is clear that he misses her deeply and the viewer feels for him.

The three protagonists deliver strong performances. Arora is dramatic as a troubled individual who is grieving a devastating loss and is prevented from getting support due to lockdown. Raaj and Jain play their roles very well.

When Rajat is talking to his brother by phone, the image is shown through the camera of their smartphones, which is a creative filming technique. Abhijit Roy develops beautiful cinematography and the music by Harsh Dave is dramatic and tense.

This short is a character study and follows the struggles of a tormented individual. It explores themes of loss, mental health, loneliness and grief and how issues such as these are made worse because of lockdown. It also carries the message that one must deal with their problems and move on with their life.