Leaving behind more questions than answers, intriguing Malayalam short film Aaro – Someone, is tale of solitude and yearning underscored by a touch of unease.
Directed by noted screenwriter-director-actor Ranjith and backed by Mammooty Kampany, the 21-minute production opens into the life of a writer -played by Shyamaprasad – leading us into the confines of his home.
Drawing us into the cluttered quiet of his home, as rain patters and thunder rumbles outside, the stunning frames immediately set up a sense of calm juxtaposed by profound loneliness.
Suffering from writers block, with more than vice – swapping from drinks to cigarettes in an endless loop – clutched tight to him to get through from day to night, the nameless protagonist’s disruptive yet monotonous routine.
With over 10-minutes of the film focused on our protagonist’s daily routine – of frustrations when the words don’t come, of messy room corners, of unclean utensils and unstocked fridges – the pacing is sluggish but rooted in realism as his life and living unfolds slowly in front of us.
The thick veil of quiet is pierced by a phone call – a mysterious woman calling from a private number, hinting at a visit to his home. And with the entrance of this enigmatic yet graceful guest, the story picks up with a tinge of anticipation.
When this seeming stranger – played by the ethereal Manju Warrier – turns up at his door the next day, the writer is stumped at her identity. And she glides around his home – jingling steel bangles, big red bindi and a bright smile – like its a part of her past, he is intrigued.
She is someone and no one all at once – making him feel seen and known in the simplest ways with each knowing word.
Audiences are hooked as mundanity transforms to mystique in the movie’s crisp run time, but before it can go any further – a horn blares – the illusion is shattered and we are left with as much as yearning and questions as our protagonist himself.
A story that feels unfinished yet somehow complete in its frayed edges. Whether the woman was real or a figment of the writer’s imagination, Aaro is meant to feel like solitude wrapped in the echoes of a companionship that fades all too quickly .
Watch the short film below!
Leave a Reply