17/08/2026
Mirrors of Freedom | Frames of Freedom, 9th edition
The 9th edition of Frames of Freedom “Mirrors of Freedom”, presented a poignant exploration of the human condition through five independent fiction films and a musical concert. The day began with Anamika Haksar’s debut film “Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon” (Taking the Horse to Eat Jalebis), a cinematic portrait of Old Delhi’s working-class underbelly that lives through dust, dirt, narrow streets, broken walls, and tattered trampolines, with fears and small dreams. Abandoning traditional narrative, the film follows the four main characters: a pickpocket, a snack vendor, a labourer-activist, and a heritage walk guide, who are shaped by class, neglect and precarity. Blending documentary-realism and magic-realism, using animation, dreams, songs, slapstick, and sudden pauses to break the narrative flow and capture the subconscious of the “subaltern” population to the point where there is no coherence. The film is a homage to the vibrant, un-romanticised experiences of the urban-migrant workers surviving daily drudgery with dignity and humour.
Initially intended to be made into a documentary, "Yeh Mera Ghar" or "My Home" directed by Prabodh Bhajni tells the story of one of the thousands of migrant labourers from India expatriated to Qatar to build the football world cup stadium. Back home, a wife waits for her lover, a mother waits for her child, a sister waits for her confidant and a daughter for her friend only to be devastated in the end. Their lives are defined by his absence. Long poetic shots help to establish Mohan's lingering presence in every corner of his "ghar" (home). Yeh Mera Ghar is a heart wrenching story of love, loss and longing of those who bear the brunt of being born poor in a developing country.
“Aise Hee” (Just Like That) portrays an intimate, realistic stretch of the oppressive obligations that befall the average middle-class Indian woman across generations. Mrs Sharma’s independent lifestyle is scrutinised and scorned by her family and neighbours alike. The subtle, innocent liberties for her own joy–eating ice cream at the mall, learning to embroider from a Muslim tailor, befriending a salon worker, and enjoying her solitude. The auditorium was filled with warm laughter at the observational humour of her rebellion– especially when acquaintances disrupt her ice-cream outing, or when she swiftly started ringing the puja bell when her son interrupted her sleep. These minor acts of independence disrupt the patriarchal social norms and set off a rapid ripple of gossip and familial tensions. Her simple, nonchalant answer for her choices–Aise Hee–infuriates her family and neighbours and makes them wonder, “What happened to her?”
Who belongs to this country and who gets to decide that? Arun Karthick's "Nasir" chronicles a day in the life of a Muslim saree salesman in Southern India's Coimbatore. It is based on "A Clerk's Story" written by Dilip Kumar. Nasir loves his wife, cares for his nephew, has a beedi before even brushing his teeth and works to make ends meet like a zillion other Indians. Sectarianism and communal hatred runs deep in Nasir's surroundings, manifesting itself in passing jest and everyday conversations, until it is no longer contained into "harmless" acts of otherization. Nasir's religious identity ultimately decides his devastating fate setting his "mundane" apart from the people belonging to the predominant faith of the country.
“Baksho Bondi”, directed by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, explores the struggles and resilience of women, existing concurrently within the realm of contemporary thought and if the pangs of freedom still weigh on the shoulders of women, not detached from the veil of anguish, disgust and a lingering sense of constraint.
Set in Barrackpore, the story deliberately moves away from the familiar, postcard like image of Kolkata and situates its story in a suburban town where life unfolds within the close confines of a lower-middle class neighbourhood. Though Maya is the central protagonist, the film also focuses on the lives of other marginalised characters whose lives are connected to hers. An ex military officer husband, struggling with PTSD (as clips of the film would hint) who collects frogs to supply laboratories is probably viewed as a lunatic often engaging in fights. His past trauma returns in episodic distributions, while he is suspected by the police for murdering his friend. Debu, the teenage son of Maya and Sundar, is a character whose choices are largely dictated by his mother and uncle. He, too, lives within the confines of the “box”, as the title of the cinema suggests and seeks to escape the daily drama through his talent for dancing.
As the sole breadwinner of the family, Maya is seen running errands in other people’s homes and ironing clothes at night to make ends meet. The morning her husband returns after being missing for days, she becomes the mirror to a woman’s heart, reflecting how easily they may accept and forgive, often for the sake of love. Maya is an everywoman shaped out of the nitty-gritties of the struggle for existence. She acts as a language asserting its power to affect our perceptions and thus, the medium in conveying truths behind their lives.
The 9th Frames of Freedom Film Festival's closing act was a musical performance titled "Freedom Jam" by Shei Phuler Dol. The group ignited Sujata Sadan with their enthusiasm which felt contagious. Shei Phuler Dol began with Bipul Chakrabarti’s "Shudur Bankura theke". It included songs written and composed by singer-songwriter Saibal and Titash, as well as some much celebrated tracks. Among the songs rendered by the collective was a number on the recent CJP protests. Shei Phuler Dol evidently got its name from the Mohiner Ghoraguli song of the same name therefore performing it was almost ineluctable. "Pakhir Gaan" (Song of Birds) which happened to be the second song in the row, as told by vocalist and guitarist Titash was born out of a workshop that the group did with children of the Kheria Shabar community in Purulia. Bangladeshi artist Tuhin Kanti Das's "Shurjer Gaan" (Song of Sun) garnered much appreciation from the audience. Shei Phuler dol ended the session with Carsie Blanton's "Little Flame" which she had famously sung while sailing aboard on the Global Sumud Flotilla. Little Flame, as the lyrics says, didn't just help "keep the little flame alive" but undoubtedly reignited it within many.
The morning session was conducted by Mrittika and Shreosi, who introduced and contextualised the films to the audience. Paroma and Devi likewise led the post-lunch session. Suman Saha, casting director, dialogue writer, acting coach and cast of "Baksho Bondi" joined us on the stage before the screening of the closing film. In the closing note Kunal and Kasturi, on behalf of the People's Film Collective thanked the audience for joining in such large numbers, and notified about the call for entries for Kolkata People's Film Festival 2027 which is slated to be held from 23rd to 26th January next year.
Report- Mrittika, Shreose, Debjani
Photos- Arko, Narayan
