Samvarana (Closure)

Samvarana (Closure) is an interesting and honest portrayal of family estrangement, written and directed by Monil Kumar. It tells the story of a father (played by Mehul Bhatt) whose wife is seriously ill, so, he attempts to make contact with his son who has his own family and whom he hasn’t been able to see for many years. It’s a film about isolation, loneliness and the pain of wanting to fix something in one’s life which may very well be unfixable. We follow the protagonist as he recalls memories, leaves voicemails, and goes to his son’s house – but to no success. Much of the short effectively captures these difficult feelings; however, its plot-light approach, in addition to a couple technical mishaps, means that we don’t quite engage in the emotions being conveyed as much as the filmmakers may want us to. But nevertheless, the script is subtle, poignant and feels as if it comes from a deeply personal place, therefore it is absolutely worth your attention.

There are some lovely visual concepts on display in this picture. For instance, there’s a wonderful moment in which the protagonist recalls him and his wife sitting on a bench peacefully; then, the filmmakers cleverly use the sunset to transition to a different time wherein the two characters are replaced with children playing in the park -- the colours are different, but the composition of the shot remains the same. This is some intelligent filmmaking, and utilises film as a form of expression to the best of its ability (i.e. no dialogue needed). Unfortunately, a few shots in the movie appear slightly flat looking. Shot digitally, most exterior sequences are filmed using tight apertures – exposing dust on the lens or sensor. It would also appear that, despite everything being in focus in this manner, the camera has been set to auto-focus which means that there’s the occasional jitter. What the camerawork displays, however, is that the cinematographer and director clearly comprehend the language of shot sequencing; how to implement closeups and wide shots and when, so I really admire the film’s coverage even if (from a cold, technical standpoint) there’s a hiccup here and there.

The narrative of Samvarana, as sparse as it is, holds a kind of authenticity. To be estranged from a family member is such a common but crushing part of everyday life, and what this short film aims to capture is less the event itself, and more the quiet, reflective darkness which comes with time flying by. It’s quite profound, although offers no resolution - suggesting, one supposes, that there is no resolution to be found within such a situation. And yet the titular “closure” arguably comes at the very beginning, in the form of an onscreen quote which argues that one must “let go” so as to enjoy living in the moment. To conclude, the film is a terrific effort and it’s available to watch for free right now on YouTube. It also feels like an early work from artists who will grow creatively and go on to create even more amazing works.