Short films are here to stay. Reason, some of our talented directors are experimenting with content in the short format. After Goodnight City, Kamaleswar Mukherjee is set to begin a short film, tentatively titled Limelight, inspired by Frank Kafka’s A Hunger Artist. The film stars
Ritwick Chakraborty, Biswanath Basu and Priyanka Mondal in lead roles.
In 1922, the author had written about a hunger artist, who rued the decline of appreciation for his craft.
To strike off suspicion, he would perform in a cage and was attended by a team of watchers, who ensured that he was not eating secretly. Despite controlling the situation in which he would function, many, including some of the watchers, were convinced that the hunger artist cheated. “I developed my short from this story. The film is about a man, who would sit at dharnas and go on hunger strikes. Spotting his ability to starve, his friend suggests that he turns it into a business where people could watch him showcase his talent. It’s a satirical take on all that’s happening around us,” said Kamaleswar. Ritwick, who was seen playing an integral role in Goodnight City, is back in this film, the shooting for which is likely to begin in July.