Short film directed by Chintan Sharda featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Rasika Dugal releases on YouTube – Planet Bollywood

Chintan Sarda’s short film ‘The Broken Table’ released on the 15th of February 2023 on the Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films YouTube channel. Legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah and acclaimed actress Rasika Dugal are in the lead. The short film is based on Alzheimer’s disease a rising concern amongst senior citizens nowadays. In this film, Naseeruddin Shah plays the character Giri, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Filmmaker Chintan Sarda’s quote:- The film ‘The Broken Table’ unfolds over one turbulent day, where a caregiver Deepti (played by Rasika Dugal), deals with the eccentricity of an Alzheimer’s patient Giri (played by Naseeruddin Shah), along with her own life’s dilemma. The day is made bizarre by the fact that Giri keeps calling for his wife, who Deepti finds out died a year back.

The broken Table explores the issue of mental health but not just for someone who visibly has issues like Alzheimer’s but for everyone. Indians are not used to talking openly about their problems. There are so many mis-adjustments and conditioning issues that everyone deals with and all one needs to do is talk to someone. That can be the beginning of resolving past trauma or just learning to accept, which can change one’s life. It was a privilege to work with a stalwart like Naseer sir and an incredible actor like Rasika and watch their process up close. I have learnt so much from them through this process of making the film.

Chintan Sarda has been working as Director/Writer on web series and short films. He has recently co-written an under-production web show for a major OTT platform in the supernatural sci-fi space and worked as Second unit director on an under-production web show featuring Randeep Hooda for a major studio in the crime space. He has written and directed Jackie Shroff in an award-winning short film ‘Shunyata’, which has won the grand jury prize at an Oscar-qualifying film festival in LA.

Chintan is an ex-investment banker, who used to work in London before the film bug bit him. He has also assisted filmmakers like Farhan Akhtar, Mohit Suri, and Abhishek Sharma on feature films and directed digital commercials for brands like IKEA.