Here’s how the short-film Natkhat adhered its own ethos of gender equality in it’s making!

Natkhat is an absorbing and moving short film that gives out a strong message regarding gender equality. The film premiered on YouTube as part of the ‘We Are One: A Global Film Festival’ on the 2nd of June, 2020.

One of the most commendable aspects of the short film is that the makers of the film adhered to its own ethos of gender equality in its making. The film would not have been possible without the women who were the three pillars of the film namely child actress Sanika Patel, actress Vidya Balan, and writer Annukampa Harsh. The film was made together by a gender-equal crew.

The film director of the film Shaan Vyas said “The first draft of the film was written by me solely as a man trying to tell a story about masculinity, but it lacked a female perspective and was hence, very dry as a first draft. To write a film about gender equality, we needed a female gaze in it’s writing and importantly, in it’s making.”

The director further added, “The most important and neutralizing influence on the film began when I started collaborating with my co-creator Annukampa Harsh who not just wrote the film with me and imbued the script with a soul, she also crafted every key creative element of the film in detail and was sharing directing responsibilities with me for all the non-actors as well.”

Shaan continued “It is not easy to direct children and the most important thing to build with them is trust and Annukampa built that in her acting workshops. She also cast the film by extensively going to schools as well as street-casting. And the most important casting decision of the film; the girl Sanika Patel (who plays a boy) was also her find.”

The film has been produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Vidya Balan. The short film is written by Annukampa Harsh and Shaan Vyas with Sanaya Irani Zohrabi as the associate producer. The film stars actress Vidya Balan and child actress Sanika Patel at the forefront.

The film is directed by Shaan Vyas and produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Vidya Balan. The short film is written by Annukampa Harsh and Shaan Vyas with Sanaya Irani Zohrabi as the associate producer. The film stars actress Vidya Balan and child actress Sanika Patel at the forefront.