Dal Bhat(2021)
Hindi32 mins
Based in a small village in Kutch, India; 10-year-old Mukti wishes to swim in the newly filled lake, after a drought spanning for years. A seemingly simple wish turns to an unexpected discovery about himself, which causes him to question himself, the stigma around it, and his wish to swim in the lake.
Director:Nemil Shah
Mood:
emotionalupliftinginspiring
Where to watch:
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- ShortsTV Amazon Channel, Airtel Xstream Play
- Theatrical Release
- 20 August 2021
- Director
- Nemil Shah
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 32m
Storyline
A young boy in a drought-stricken Indian village wants to swim in the newly refilled lake. His simple wish leads to a surprising personal discovery. This makes him rethink his desire to swim and the social stigma surrounding his situation.
“A drought ends. A lake fills. A boy's wish reveals a secret.”
Film Details
32Minutes
HindiLanguage
Release Date20 August 2021
Parental Guide
Violence
Mild
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Mild
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Mood
emotionalupliftinginspiring
Themes
identityfamilysurvivalfriendship
Tonepoetic
Pacingslow-burn
Complexitymoderate
Audienceniche
Best Withfamily
Violence1
Emotion4
Humor2
Rewatchability3
Cast & Crew
#1
N
Nemil ShahDirector
→Trivia
- The film was shot entirely on location in a real village in Kutch, Gujarat, using many local non-actors.
- Director Nemil Shah has said the story was inspired by real conversations about identity he heard in rural India.
- The child actor playing Mukti, Dhairya Joshi, had never acted in a film before this debut role.
- The title 'Dal Bhat' refers to a simple, everyday meal, symbolizing the ordinary life the film's events disrupt.
- It was filmed during the actual monsoon season to capture the village's transformation after drought authentically.
- The film premiered at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival before its release in India.
- Much of the dialogue is in the Kutchhi dialect, with subtitles provided for wider audiences.