Critically acclaimed short film ‘Scenes From Pandemic’ has finally been released on YouTube and is available to watch for free. The movie revolves around a young woman named Molshri, who has freshly graduated from college and is looking forward to starting a new chapter in her life in Mumbai. Things take a turn when the pandemic hits the country. ‘Scenes From Pandemic’ shows Molshri’s relationships with her mother, best friend and her burgeoning career in two years during a rapidly changing world.
Director Tanmaya Shekhar, while talking about his decision to make this movie, revealed that he decided to use phones and laptops in ‘Scenes From Pandemic’ as everyone was using digital devices during Covid.
Revealing how he got inspired to make the short film, he said, “Since 2012 I had been living in New York City and had planned to settle there. But when the pandemic came, it turned my life upside down. I lost some very close family members, even my father was in the ICU fighting for his life for many months in Jharkhand… The pandemic brought so much grief that I moved back to India to be closer to my family. It was essentially my ‘Swades’ moment. So I wanted to make a film that would honour this period in my life. And I was sure that I was not the only one, so many people’s lives have completely changed since Covid.”
Meanwhile, Molshri shared the challenges she faced while performing her role and said, “I was both nervous and excited for the role. There are a lot of time jumps in the story, and to capture the exact point of the journey in the character’s life was important. And it was especially challenging because we were shooting everything out of order! But that is exactly what made the process exciting and rewarding.”
‘Scenes From Pandemic’ was nominated for 4 categories at the Critics’ Choice Awards this year headed by renowned journalist Anupama Chopra. Best Short Film, Best Actress, Best Writer, and Best Director.
On the work front, Tanmaya Shekhar has worked in production on HBO shows including ‘The Plot Against America’ and ‘Love Life’. He has also wrapped up directing ‘Nukkad Naatak’. Meanwhile, Molshri will be seen in two upcoming feature films.