I am not a fan of award-winning films. The reason is simple – I don’t understand most of them. But I genuinely liked Chintu and the message it so effortlessly delivered. When I write short stories, I like to leave it to the audience to figure out the, ummm, let’s say, ‘Moral of the Story.’ The beauty of the story lies not in the spoon-feeding of the message, but in the peeling of every layer and finding the essence yourself. Chintu is one such story.
The lockdown is on and the mental state of Anup Soni in Chintu resonates with our mental state right now. In this lockdown period, I am sure many of us have sat down, relaxed, and eventually wondered what we have been chasing for so long? Success? Money? Good standard of living? All of us do, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. Things start going wrong when we forget to stop and smell the roses even when the garden we have always dreamt of, starts blooming – due to fear of the same roses withering someday. And then, in the process, we lose ourselves.
You know what’s the best way to find yourself again? Go back to the days right before life happened to you. Go back to your childhood. That’s what Chintu is all about. Going back to your childhood to find yourself, or should I say, to find your peace of mind, to find your happiness.
The film is a nostalgic trip down the memory lane. If nothing else, it will surely remind you of the toys you held close to your heart when you were a kid. It reminded me of mine. I had a red monkey and I missed him soooo much. I wonder where and why did I drop him when he is so dear to me even today.
I don’t believe in revealing the story, unnecessarily, as it takes all the fun away while watching it, especially if it’s a short film. So, go watch Chintu now, and let it tell you what to do with your forced ‘Me’ time. It might just tell you what to do next when the quarantine ends.
Where to Watch? YouTube