The lonely road stretches out in front of him in the dark and Tarun’s car is the only vehicle that’s visible to us. At the fag end of the day after a long day at work, his threshold for any potential irritant is at an abysmal low.
A call from ‘Taara’ flashes in his car device and he answers the call, only to soon engage in a spat. He mentions an all-important client meeting to skip a party, her birthday party. The relationship is under strain.
Soon, Tarun pulls up to a side of the road to gather his thoughts and is surprised when a stranger knocks at the window, asking for a lift.
The opening portions of the 23-minute short film Drive, directed by Aditya Pamnani, is set up like a horror/crime thriller. The tension builds up gradually as the two men in the car begin talking, about work and relationships.
The film rarely zooms out from the confines of the car, focusing on the two young men. But it steadily captures the shift in dynamics as their conversation moves from being polite to the uncomfortable private zone.
A scene from Drive
If you’ve watched films made by graduates of film schools, brimming with ideas, you would probably second guess a few possibilities for the story’s end. However, Drive manages to hold attention and deliver something interesting. The cinematography (Vamsi Chemkuri), music (Roy Klener, Chris Savor , Remy & Dimitry Vocirus) and editing (Rahul Bhupat), all done with professional finesse, add to the viewing experience. The conversations recorded using sync sound are another highlight.
Talking about employing the tropes of a crime/horror narrative to present a psychological thriller in a conversational style, Aditya tells us that he wanted to discuss complexities in contemporary relationships. “We have very few films in India that are in a conversational style. I was inspired by the 90-minute film Locke (2013), in which the lead character (Tom Hardy) has conversations using bluetooth while driving. I wanted to explore a similar idea of a car journey to talk about relationships,” he tells us.
Drive, reveals Aditya, is influenced by Darren Aronofsky, David Lynch and David Fincher, whom he considers the masters of thrillers. “What if you meet someone who isn’t a ghost or a murderer but makes you go on a journey of self-realisation? That seemed interesting to write,” he emphasises.
Aditya has around 10 short films to his credit and is also ready with a script for a feature film — “a love story narrated in an unconventional manner”. Meanwhile, he has also acted in a forthcoming Telugu film directed by SS Kanchi; it’s too early to disclose the details of thsi film he feels.
Drive stars Aditya Pamnani as the stranger, along with Gourish Yeleti (Tarun) and Drishika Chander (Taara’s voice). The film was screened to a select audience last Friday at Annapurna Preview Theatre. Plans are on to showcase the film at international film festivals.
(Drive by Aditya Pamnani can be viewed on YouTube)