Survey City(2024)
Hindi31 mins
Ayesha and her family live in a Delhi basti (informal settlement). She wants nothing more than to have security of tenure of her tiny house at the precarious edges of Delhi.
Director:Sanjay
Mood:
emotionaldarkinspiring
Where to watch:
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Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 2 June 2024
- Director
- Sanjay
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 31m
Storyline
Ayesha and her family live in an informal settlement in Delhi. Her biggest wish is to secure the right to stay in her small, vulnerable home on the city's edge.
“A home on the edge, a family's fight to stay.”
Film Details
31Minutes
HindiLanguage
UCertificate
Release Date2 June 2024
Also Known Asसुर्वेवाले
Parental Guide
Violence
Mild
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Mild
Vibe & Tags
Mood
emotionaldarkinspiring
Themes
survivalfamilycorruptionjustice
Tonegritty
Pacingslow-burn
Complexitymoderate
Audiencearthouse
Best Withalone
Violence1
Emotion5
Humor1
Rewatchability2
Cast & Crew
#1
A
AyeshaSelf
→#2
N
NehaSelf
→#3
A
Abdul ShakeelSelf
→#4
V
VandanaSelf
→#5
S
SanjayDirector
→Trivia
- The film's title 'Survey City' refers to the constant threat of government surveys that could lead to the demolition of the basti.
- Director Sanjay has a background in social work and previously made short documentaries on urban housing rights.
- The film was shot over three years, following the real-life legal and bureaucratic struggles of Ayesha's family.
- Many scenes use non-professional actors who are actual residents of similar Delhi settlements.
- The documentary was partly funded by a grant from an Indian non-profit focused on urban poverty.
- It premiered at a film festival in Kerala before its limited theatrical release in Delhi and Mumbai.
- The sound design intentionally includes the constant ambient noise of the city to highlight the settlement's lack of peace.