Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap has thrown his weight behind “Aakhri Ride” (The Last Ride), set to feature as one of the market picks at the upcoming Clermont-Ferrand short film market.
The film follows Aman, a Mumbai ride-share driver racing to secure dowry money for his sister’s wedding, whose night takes an unexpected turn when he picks up a mysterious passenger – a Chudail (demonic witch). The supernatural encounter forces him to confront deeper truths about urban survival and morality.
Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Kennedy” (2023), “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
“When I read the script, I quite liked it. It’s a story about characters whom we meet everyday in lives and yet maybe don’t stop to think about what’s going on in their lives,” says Kashyap, who serves as producer alongside Ranjan Singh, Vishesh Agarwal, and Rajan E.P.K. “And then when i saw the film, the style, the design, the edit, the way performances were drawn out, there was simplicity in its outrageousness… I feel, the film is definitely going to be loved by audiences across the globe.”
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The short marks the directorial debut of Vijesh Rajan and Yashoda Parthasarthy, who previously worked with Kashyap as motion designers and VFX supervisors since “Gangs of Wasseypur.” “After years of working as motion designers and VFX supervisors, we felt like it was finally time to tell a story that meant something personal,” the directing duo said. “So many of our own moments of reflection happened in the back of cabs late at night, talking to drivers who somehow gave us a different perspective on our own lives.”
The film stars Chandan Roy, Aamir Dalvi, Faisal Malik and Dheer Hira, with cinematography by Krish Makhija and music by Achint Thakkar.
The film is a co-production between Flip Films, known for festival circuit film “Little Thomas” and award-winning shorts like “Bhed Bakri Bhoot”; Navarasa Pictures, which produced the series “Shanti Bhavan” for Viacom18; and Plexus Motion Pictures, the directing duo’s production company making its debut with this project.
Ranjan Singh of Flip Films notes: “It’s a story which is so local about Mumbai, and yet so global, that it could be happening right now in any major metropolis of the world.”