Film: Key
Genre: Surrealistic Short Film
Language: Telugu with English Subtitles
Rating: Not Applicable
Banner: Vikalpa Cinema
In association with: Third Eye Images
Cast: Shafi, Jayalalitha and Bhargava Mohan
Music: Veena Pani
Edited By: Udhavacharya
Art: S Nagendra Babu
Cinematography: RP Tanikella
Producer: Ch Jayalalitha
Written and Directed By: Tanikella Bharani
First Screened On: 4th March 2009
Duration: 22 min 30 sec
At the outset of going into the details of the movie I feel it is apt to recall the lines from the works of two Telugu poets.
‘Kala Kaanidi viluvainadi bathuku kanneeti dhaaralathone bali cheyyaku’ (life is not a dream. It’s precious. Don’t drench and kill it with your tears of sorrow)- Sri Sri
‘Aayuvantu unnavaraku Chavukooda neggaleka sevamu paine gelupu chaatura’- Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry (death cannot win on life. Hence it boasts its victory only on corpse)
While the above lines are like sugar coated medicines for depressed people, the film ‘Key’ is a painless injection into the sub conscious mind. The substance is same but the taste is different.
It goes without saying that ‘Key’ is a tool that is shown for the people those are carrying life heavily with suicidal tendencies. ‘Key’ says that suicide is not the solution and inviting death is senseless. ‘Death never comes on invitation. It comes when it wishes. A single life is far better than thousand deaths’ is the key factor that is shown in ‘Key’.
Tanikella Bharani has ventured this fourth surrealistic film from the cognitions of his brain. Earlier he made films Sira (Ink), Blue Cross and The Last Farmer with the same surrealistic element. The aim of this surrealistic art form is to present the sub conscious mind directly on the celluloid.
Surrealistic Symbolisms:
Bharani, the director has used many symbolisms in his direction although the dialogues are straight. Here are a few to note:
- Donkey- He has shown this as a symbol of society, apparently. Bharani’s sub conscious seems to be identifying donkey and horse as bad and good respectively. The same was applied in ‘Sira (Ink)’ in the form of sound as replica of writer’s thoughts.
- Mother- This was shown as a very big sponge idol. The lead character (Shafi) has established that idol as a symbol of mother and his expressions in silence with mono-action have perfectly honored the love of any human being towards mother.
- Death- He has given body-form to ‘death’ with the character ‘Mrutyuvu’. Bhargava Mohan enacted the role with subtle expressions and philosophically arrogant smile.
- Snakes and Ladders on wall- That stands to be a symbol of life’s journey. It conveys that the life should be understood as ‘snakes and ladders’ game but shouldn’t get depressed for mere failures.
- Wound- as a symbolism of life in the view perspective of lead role
- Human candle- The melting birthday candle was shown in human shape as a symbol of life.
Dialogues:
The symbolism of ladder was explained with subtle quote ‘nilabedithey nichchena..paduko pedithey paade’ (it’s ladder when erected and it’s a bed to carry corpse once laid down)
Essence of ‘Key’:
Workers accomplish job in right time when the master sets the dead line. Nature also has set some dead line for every human being. And that dead line is not known. It can be the next minute or after many years. The human minds should focus towards good things and try to accomplish them. That should be like climbing the ladder. When the man reaches the tip of the ladder he automatically sees the sky. He gets emancipation and flies into welkin like a peaceful bird above the clouds of happiness, ecstasy and bliss. But when he invites death amidst his life, the ladder falls down for him to carry his corpse and bury in soil under the layers of grief, suffocation and pandemonium. Hence find the ‘key’ that is hanging in your neck. Unlock your happy moments of your childhood those were locked in iron shelves of your brain. Smell the happiness from them. Build your dreams on the foundation of your happiness. Live happily and lead life optimistically. And finally climb the ladder to see its tip. Ladder bows you touching your feet. You will be above the ladder and jump into sky when time comes.
Conclusion:
This movie is for brains but not merely for eyes and ears. The thought process should be carried with closed ears and eyes after watching the movie for 22.30 minutes. The sense of the movie can be understood only then. Subsequently this proves to be a right ‘key’ for life’s c’lock’. The film has the muscle to hit any international film festival under short film category and win awards.
Producer Jayalalitha is appreciable for making this film boldly. Technically the film deserves great commendation for S Nagendra Babu’s Art Direction, Veenapani’s music and RP Tanikella’s cinematography. Editing by Udhavacharya also deserves a mention as its Herculean task to assort scenes from surrealistic movies. Shafi carried entire film on his shoulders to express the essence with his expression. Bhargava Mohan sets a new symbol for ‘death’ that looks peacefully arrogant.
(SiraSri can be reached at [email protected])
Note:
For screening this short film and for negotiating other business details, the following number can be contacted- 9000043213 (Bhargav Mohan)
