The five-minute short “Sarhad Wale Daddy” by Snehal Garg revolves around an innocent telephonic conversation between a child in India and a soldier stationed at the border. The duo refer to each other with amicable terms such as ‘daddy’ and ‘son’ respectively throughout the conversation.
However, a shocking revelation towards the end of this short conversation reveals to viewers a harsh truth; it shows how war can be painful for civilians and families on both sides of the border. This is particularly true for those who await news of or pray for the safe return of their loved ones fighting on the front lines. The pain of war can greatly eclipse even the emotional connection and bonds formed between humans.
A Powerful Portrait…
Watching this short, the taut and beautiful writing by Divyansh Pandit and Siddharth Tiwari kept me engrossed throughout. The dialogue between the young boy and the soldier also comes across as very authentic and moving; they mainly discuss simplistic topics such as the father’s homecoming and the child jokingly comparing his father’s false promises of returning home to long court dates.
The film also effectively conveys the difference in perceptions between a child and an adult in a war-torn situation. Children are often too young to understand the atrocities of man-made conflicts, while adults have become rather desensitized to them. It sensitively touches upon the fragility of life as well as the uncertainty of war breaking out in countries. The film also explores the hate-fueled atmosphere created amongst citizens or soldiers, thus turning them against their fellow kind on the other side of the border who are also caught in this same crossfire.
Food for Thought on the Human Condition
Along with the compelling script and minimalistic production design that lends authenticity to the proceedings, Chetan R. Sharma and child actor Bhavya Kailash Gurnani turn in immaculate and mesmerising performances as the leads pair of soldier and child that tugs one’s heart strings throughout.
Ultimately, while melancholy, “Sarhad Wale Daddy” offers its audience much food for thought over how wars have affected human beings. They have reduced humans to emotionless beings devoid of any innocence whatsoever, and have even diminished our sense of humanity.
“Sarhad Wale Daddy” was screened at the 2022 Mumbai International Film Festival (MAMI). There are currently no screening options for the film.
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