Affliction(2025)
Hindi5 mins
9-year-old Bittu battles a mysterious fever, an affliction that deepens with an unfamiliar stirring within him as he watches his uncle’s young wife, Kusum, longing for a husband who toils far from home.
Director:Shubham Sumit
Mood:
darkemotionaldisturbing
Where to watch:
OTT availability not confirmed yet. Check Netflix · Prime Video · Hotstar · ZEE5
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 3 January 2025
- Director
- Shubham Sumit
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 5m
Storyline
A young boy named Bittu gets a strange fever. His feelings become more confused as he watches his aunt, Kusum, who misses her husband working far away.
“A fever. A forbidden longing. A boy caught between.”
Film Details
5Minutes
HindiLanguage
Release Date3 January 2025
Also Known Asमर्ज़
Parental Guide
Violence
Mild
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Mild
Vibe & Tags
Mood
darkemotionaldisturbing
Themes
familyidentitysurvivallove
Toneintense
Pacingslow-burn
Complexityrequires-attention
Audiencearthouse
Best Withalone
Violence2
Emotion5
Humor1
Rewatchability3
Cast & Crew
#1
P
Pallavi VishwasKusum
→#2
A
Aaradhya SuryavanshiBittu
→#3
B
Bharati PerwaniMother
→#4
A
Asha SarangDaadi
→#5
R
Ranadhir BiswasCrew
→#6
S
Shubham SumitDirector
→Trivia
- The film's title 'Affliction' was chosen to mirror both Bittu's fever and his emotional turmoil.
- Director Shubham Sumit drew inspiration from classic Indian literature about forbidden desire.
- The role of Kusum was offered to several newcomers before final casting.
- The movie was shot in a real village in Bihar to capture authentic rural life.
- A child psychologist was on set to help the young actor during intense scenes.
- The film's score uses traditional folk instruments to reflect its setting.
- It premiered at an international film festival before its theatrical release in India.