We had an opportunity to see an interesting and beautiful short film, “Even Fake Flowers Have Scent on Happy Days,” written and directed by Shubham Sharma. This alluring film creates a reminder of obligatory loneliness and of the ways human beings look to subsist with it. This theme of doom and gloom is not often discovered in films.
The film shows the contemplation of one such man, whose sentiments of loneliness and isolation due to exterior reasons have given him an all-consuming cynical prospect of compassion. The short film also sheds light on the regular struggles of working youth who are unaware of the importance of time. Lack of opportunities and peer pressures encourage them to migrate abroad, for any odd jobs that pay well. The protagonist, Shubham (Akash Arora), who is now back in his hometown Amritsar, mirrors the way of life that people want to escape from.
The story starts from an everyday conversation between Shubham and his neighbour. Then he talks with his mother and goes back to his room. As the story moves forward, we get to know that Shubham is an educated guy who has return to his hometown from abroad and now works in a store. We get the sense he is alone and dealing with his unbearable unhappiness. We can only truly see him when he is alone.
Akash Arora as Shubham in “Even Fake Flowers Have Scent on Happy Days.” (Courtesy of Shubham Sharma.)
When we don’t see Shubham, we see different shots of the TV and the house, which visually represent the stillness and quietness of his surroundings. He finds a tape recorder to share his inner thoughts and suffering. He decides to send this tape to a stranger who he meets at the store he is working; we can see that he feels some affection towards that person.
As the story moves ahead, we see Shubham is just there to listen but not talk whenever his mother tries to talk. We see him getting comfortable with a tape-recorder in such a way that he speaks about his internal crisis. Like every individual, he desires for human interrelatedness, cordiality, and a closeness in which he could speak freely about the things that hurt him. We get to know that it’s not only existence that he is bothered with; he’s also vexed by the thoughtlessness he has to evidence in strangers, in everyday people around him.
Shubham pushes the story further, making a subtle declaration about the lack of attractive working opportunities in his state Punjab. He talks about how thousands of youngsters migrate to Western countries in search of a better life and future. As the story comes to an end, we see the protagonist confess his despondency into a tape recorder; he decides to move ahead with life, keeping his unanswered question and thoughts aside. He brings back himself as he does to the flowers from his ground. This film isn’t the answer one is searching for but it’s the question that one should look for.
Asha Sharma as ‘Mother’ in “Even Fake Flowers Have Scent on Happy Days.” (Courtesy of Shubham Sharma.)
As a writer-director, Shubham Sharma excellently frames the story and crafts it in the right way. Speaking of his writing he is wonderfully able to merge the key issues in the film. Themes like loneliness, adulthood, and migration combine in a way which seems organic and seamless. The dialogue is smart and thoughtful, leaving an impression in the viewer’s mind.
The film’s cinematographer, Vaibhav Yadav, achieves a combination of artsy and traditional effects of the film. The shots are unique where they have kept a long static shot in a film instead of close-ups, which helps to achieve the perfect vibe that one will admire. Karthik Pillai’s music makes the film more effective, too. Editor Aniruddh Ramjiwal also does a perfect job of compiling the story.
Akash Arora as Shubham is excellent; the way he delivers the dialogue, to the way he projects his emotions with his expressions is perfect. Overall, “Even Fake Flowers Have Scent on Happy Days” is an interesting and exceptional short film that has a unique take on loneliness and migration that we have not seen. It has all one will look forward to seeing from the top-notch story, direction, and acting. One should not miss out on this film whenever it will be out for public viewing.
At The Movie Buff, we believe in supporting filmmakers as much as we can, so here we are happy to show our support for Shubham Sharma to link to his fundraiser, where he is trying to further his filmmaking studies, and the fundraiser runs through August 9. (There’s also a link to view the film there, as well.)
