‘Awake' is Atul Mongia's debut film. This 23-minute short, written and directed by him, is a part of this year's MAMI Year Round Programme. It is also chosen for the We Are One Global Film Festival. Atul has had a long-spanning career as one of Bollywood's most acclaimed casting directors. Besides being an actor himself, he has trained many contemporary Bollywood actors over the years. While having worked in front of the camera for a few projects, this is Atul's first effort of being behind the camera and pulling all the strings.
Through “Awake”, he presents us with the mundanity of the lives of today's relationships. We are introduced to a few couples who seem to be doing well-off financially. The protagonist (Sameera), who is initially introduced just as a person behind the lens, gets her own identity beyond her profession as a photographer. She is introduced as someone sharing joy with other privileged couples and helping them to treasure that very happiness. Only after she leaves this place do we get a peek inside her actual life.
Her husband, with whom she had pictured a cheerful future, cannot even move an inch by himself. He is in a state of coma for a while, which leaves her emotionally stranded and inept to work on any kind of spark in between. Even in the gratifying presence of their mutual friends, she cannot look away from her inability due to his condition. She almost feels handicapped to work on anything for her individual growth. And it gets highlighted every time, in a presence such as theirs. With a situation like this, Sameera's struggle lies in choosing between her current life and a life she could have lead, if not being tied to be his nurturer. Besides that, she is also bound to be subjected to the judgments of the commitment to her man. Because of the cultural norms, there is always an invisible pressure looking at her every step and thinking whether it fits in the way that they consider how a woman should ideally behave.
‘Awake' treads on the thin lines between love and control by focusing on Sameera's character. It also takes an occasional dig at how a woman in her situation is judged and perceived. It has an acute understanding of the ethical boundaries in regard to the culture and the class that she belongs to. The very nature of keeping the audience second-guessing the purpose of the film's title based on her desire-based intents, makes ‘Awake' a highly-stimulating watch. Yet, it is not heavy-handedly managed and the whole duration goes on like a breeze. The performances linger around for much longer. There's a reason for that.
The direction seems to have relied largely on the actors' capabilities. There is very little interference or hindrance from his part. Much of the scenes appear like improvised acts where the actors have a clear knowledge of these characters. Ishika Mohan Motwane presents a highly-convincing act as Sameera, by finding a balance between the moments of strength and vulnerability. Other performances further compliment her natural performance while playing their part like it's just another day of their actual life.
Siddharth Diwan's languid camerawork (and the resulting lack of camera-movements) enhances the overall impact. It gives the viewer a chance to sink in every cityscape filled with urban ennui. As a result, Atul Mongia's ‘Awake' becomes a patiently crafted and gently affecting short.
