“Dia, an Indian classical dancer, has met with an accident that has confined her to a wheelchair. She returns home from the hospital, hoping to find some traces of her foregone life. However, fate has something else in store. The film deals with the emotional upheaval a person goes through when she loses the limbs which were synonymous with her very identity.” (Official)
“Wheels” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Having your livelihood and identity uprooted by a crippling accident is an experience that the majority won't have to face or give consideration towards. Samman Roy's “Wheels” makes the audience face such a scenario by looking at the tragic loss of mobility of a famous dancer, and how it plummets her life into deep depression. The result is an honest look at just how devastating it can be to lose everyone, especially when the desire to avoid others becomes a coping mechanism. It is in this exploration of loss that “Wheels” leaves the greatest impact on the viewer, as the subject is approached with a genuine empathy towards the struggles of the young woman who is drowning in her perceptions of losing what made them valuable to others.
The presentation bolsters the project with a slick black-and-white visual design that plays in contrast to moments in color when the dancer reflects on the past and what was lost. Additionally, the cinematography, from Subho Saha, accents Dia's emotional struggles by understanding when to switch between wide and close-up shots to highlight her feelings about the world around her–the rooftop proves a necessary sanctuary from the more cluttered halls that contain monuments to her days as a dancer. The sound design is equally well executed, soft, and oddly serene for the subject matter, and manages to work by flowing naturally throughout the production. Furthermore, there is an endearing original song that encapsulates the happiness that Dia once felt and her ability to get back there again.
Unfortunately, there are certain elements of “Wheels” that don't work in its favor, notably a contemplative pace when it is unwarranted in the story. For example, in one scene which sees Dia wake to her mother confronting her about searching up grim material online takes an awkward amount of time for the young woman to shake off sleepiness, dissipating the drama it was attempting to build. This may be slightly nit-picking as it is a minor instance, but in the short film format, no elements should feel like they are dragging. Another hiccup in the production is, what appears to be, dubbing over the voice of a small child with an adult giving an exaggerated high-pitched voice. On a smaller production it is understandable to have to go back and in editing fix audio issues that likely occurred during filming, but given the kid plays an integral role in Dia's recovery, it adds an unintentional awkwardness that is difficult to overlook.
The performance of Aritraa Sengupta as Dia further adds to the inconsistency of the production, as the actor struggles through certain elements of her character. While the actor navigates moments of sadness and contemplation well, there is an awkwardness in the way she approaches anger that comes across more as petulant than anger coming from an adult dealing with loss. Still, Aritraa Sengupta's performance, though inconsistent, does not distract from approaching the messaging to nearly the same degree as the pacing and dubbing.
“Wheels” offers viewers an introspective and emotional look into struggling with identity through a drastic change, anddoes it with sincerity. Additionally, there is a strong visual presence to the project backed by a defined visual direction and a well-executed score. Samman Roy, undeniably, understands the key elements in pushing an emotional narrative in both visual and script. However, there are a few notable issues with both pacing and awkward dubbing that restrict the production from keeping to its poignant messaging. This does fall short of his previous short film “Mail“, but is, regardless, still a strong entry from a talented filmmaker who is still developing his style.
