Recommended Watch by Khabar: Saahasi

2 min read

2 years ago Editor_Kitaab

Khabar, one of the largest publications in the U.S. for Indian Americans reviews Sahaasi a short written and directed by Zafar Anjum.

Deftly told, this YouTube short by Singapore-based writer and director Zafar Anjum pulls no punches. Based on the real-life story of Nirbhaya, the young woman who was raped and killed in 2012 by a group of men as she was travelling in a bus with her friend in Delhi, Saahasi takes on the ethical challenges plaguing the media ecosystem. Gurdip (Gurdip Singh), a veteran journalist based in Singapore, is woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call informing him of a young woman who has been flown to Singapore for medical treatment. Her horrific injuries are the result of a brutal gangrape in India.

Then there’s Garima (Veena Puthran Bangera), a young and ambitious television reporter who needs this “breaking story” to boost her career. The two journalists clash over morals and values. He insists that they respect protocol, but she wants to get the story on air, fact-checking be damned. Meanwhile, the young woman is fighting for her life, and protests have erupted across India over the issue of women’s safety. Realistically portrayed by talented actors, this short reminds us to pause, examine ourselves honestly, and not lose sight of our humanity.

You can read the full review HERE.

About Saahasi

Featuring Singapore-based actors like Veena Puthran Bangera, Rachna Anand, Gurdip Singh, Nidhi Chopra Khanna, Pankaj Kumar, Neil Daswani, Edmund Chow, Hannah Wong, Jawahar Kanjilal and Tejas Chitaliya, Saahasi: Dateline Singapore is a bold take on the changing ethos of journalism. Set in the backdrop of a gang rape victim who is brought to Singapore from India for medical treatment, the film explores the clash of values between old journalism and new journalism, which is more aggressive and TRP-driven, through two characters, Gurdip and Garima. So far, the film has won accolades and has been honored with official selections and best short film awards in 8 film festivals around the world.