Short film ‘Bishad Bindu’ sheds light on the root of communal hatred

Samrat Chakraborty

’s

short film

‘

Bishad Bindu

’ sheds light on the rising occurrence of communal hatred throughout India. While we see the Bengali community in a liberal outlook on religion, this hard-hitting short film gives an alternative perspective. It points out how a lack of humanity and compassion can lead to a regressive mentality, irrespective of community. The short stars seasoned actors Debesh Roy Chowdhury and Barun Chanda in pivotal roles.

The protagonist of ‘Bishad Bindu’, a grindstone engraver (Debesh Roy Chowdhury) calls out to his potential customers, while making roaming around the locality of a small town, where

Hindu

and Muslims seem to be living peacefully in equal numbers. His first customer turns out to be an orthodox Hindu family that is hosting a Bhagavad Gita session conducted by a maharaj (Barun Chanda). What happens next forms the crux of the story.

The storyline effectively raises a few striking questions. Can communal conflicts so easily instigated in a place where Hindus and Muslims seem to live peacefully? Perhaps, it’s possible when a character like the grindstone engraver challenges their blind faith.