dal bhat

short fiction film

india

gujarati & hindi

dir: nemil shah

🏆 national film award- best short fiction film

in consideration at academy awards 2022

in a small desert village of kutch, gujarat, rain finally arrives after years of drought and gives birth to a new lake. 10 year old mukti is fascinated by this revelation and now wishes to swim in the lake once. however, unlike the other kids, he has some unexplained expectations and is restricted to go for a swim. disappointed, but motivated to swim, this seemingly simple wish takes mukti on a startling journey of discoveries about his sexuality, which causes him to question himself, the stigma around it, and importantly his innocent wish to swim.

will he still be able to swim?

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behind the scenes