Amazon MiniTV’s Clean, the short film deals with mind contemplations of a relationship between two sisters unveiling the synthesis of hidden insecurities
Zoya Parvin, the director, created an undeniable, universal and classic enumeration of human relationships with her short film, Clean. Emphasising how our minds act upon the thoughts we create and colour within its own light, Zoya has truly churned out the most plausible humane reactions within her two lead characters, Saba and Meher, led by Amrita Puri and Aisha Ahmed.
Amrita Puri as Saba plays the elderly sister to Meher and is a happy-to-go homemaker, a mother to Nimo and of course, a sister. She juggles between her past memories and insecurities to the present and hopes to make everything happen her own way but struggles throughout. Saba portrays as a responsible older sibling, however, gets drained out while regulating her duties consistently; almost like a burden.
Aisha Ahmed as Meher plays the younger, who comes back to India from abroad after a long time and decides to visit Saba. Meher is Nimo’s biological mother and has a bitter past that gets unveiled in the climax.
The film turns into an exploration of emotions with every minute passing:
- With Saba throwing the cold replies to Meher when Meher greets her after a warm hug; to when Saba too gets flown by emotions and giggles with Meher while reminiscing their memories with their late mother to again Saba returning to her insecurities she had surrounding Meher and losing it completely on Meher in the hospital post-Nimo’s severe ‘Allergy attack’, thinking that Meher has come back to take Nimo with her.
- Meher on the other side who turns out to be the biological mother to Nimo brings light to her fair share of struggle after Saba’s confrontation; however, what’s intriguing about Meher is the way she deals along with her guilt, for her past mistakes she has committed, her emotions and her struggles; who is grateful to Saba for being the foster mother to Nimo and has no intentions of taking him back with her, and which eventually lets Saba restore her trust on Meher in the end.
What’s more, Zoya has also given an iconic treatment of ‘Metaphors’ throughout the film. The title itself, ‘Clean’, emancipates the confrontation, in the end, washing off all the hidden doubts, the insecurities and Meher leaving without a goodbye.
The director also offers the viewers a free mind to imagine their way to escalate why Meher left without a goodbye, and that’s what makes the film a must-watch for the movie buffs, and enjoy understanding the crux of a complex human emotion.
IWMBuzz rates the film 3.5 out of 5 stars.