KILLADirection: Avinash ArunActors: Archit Deodhar, Amruta SubhashRating: 4/5Avinash Arun's incredible debut film explores unusual themes delicately and expertly -- the frustration of not belonging, the search for home, the weight of loss, the frustrations of single-parenting.After his father's death, 11-year-old Chinmay (played by Archit Deodhar) moves from Pune to a Konkan village with his mother (played by Amruta Subhash).Arriving with aching grief for his lost parent and lost home, things takes a turn for the better when Chinmay finds a new group of friends and, after a rough incident, embarks on a journey at a deserted fort.The killa is clearly a metaphor for Chinmay's mind -- abandoned, desolate, yet stoic in the face of a turbulent sea. The scene where he discovers and explores the fort is rendered in light and shadow, exquisite and unforgettable.
The mother-son equation is rendered beautifully too, with both characters locked in circumstance, unable to discuss their pain. How does a mother explain helplessness, or loneliness? How does a child find closure?Instead of melodrama, these questions are explored through the nuances of finely crafted performance in . There are no easy answers, just authentic and heartfelt emotion.Among the elements that work best are the nostalgic throwbacks, to Chinmay's first cycle race, dips in a pool with friends, his first tiff with the group. It's easy to relate to these scenes because such moments are universal.There's plenty of humour too, thanks to the well-cast goofballs playing Chinmay's friends.The music, by Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor, adds an additional tug to the heartstrings.In one scene, Chinmay sets off in a boat, out to the vastness of the sea, letting his mind slowly still and take in the beauty before him. Viewers of can expect a similar experience.(This is a Marathi film also being screened with English subtitles.)