Film: Chuha Billi
Cast: Adah Sharma, Anupriya Goenka
Director: Prasad Kadam
OTT: YouTube
Rating: 3 Moons
Adah Sharma’s and Anupriya Goenka’s short film Chuha Billi remains true to its name and presents a shockingly dark film that creeps up on you in the climax. The film revolves around Adah’s character Katrina who is mentally disturbed and apparently suffering from a bipolar disorder. However, she is not coping very well with the disorder despite having the best support from friend and roommate Seerat played by Anupriya.
The film opens with Anupriya’s Seerat entering the house she shares with Adah’s Katrina after returning from work. She seems agitated as she tells Katrina of one of their neighbor Khushboo’s apparent suicide after she jumped off from the building. She seems a tad worried on how the news will affect Kat but the latter surprises her by telling her that she knows all about it. Kat tells Seerat that she heard the news from their local grocer whom she had called to deliver pickle.
The conversation between the friends goes to-and-fro as Seerat realizes that Katrina is not being entirely truthful with her. During the conversation the audience gets the inkling that not everything is right with Katrina as the talk veers towards medicines, staying away from social media and depression. The talk between the two friends forebodes of lurking danger and maybe a little evil that culminates in a surprisingly shocking ending.
Adah is really-good as Katrina in Chuha Billi. Her mimicry and fluctuating moods shows her span as an actress and she manages to essay the character extremely well. Anupriya as the concerned and responsible friend who also has a secret up her sleeve also does a commendable job. Her expressions come out tangled as usually would be with someone who takes care of a person with some mental disorder. She scolds, loves, understands and shows sympathy for her friend and is scared for her and of her in equal measure.
Director Prasad Kadam has woven a taut tale in 16 minutes. However, maybe a bit more in-depth knowledge about the character’s predicament would have helped the audience understand better what exactly is plaguing the two protagonists. Also, when the world is finally coming out to talk about mental health a film like Chuha Billi might put a dampener on the talk and maybe brackets it again as taboo. Nevertheless, it does make a commendable watch.
PeepingMoon.com gives Chuha Billi 3 Moons.
