A hard-hitting message

The inspiration for Call came from a viral voice clip, says Shahbas C.A., the director. It was the voice of a woman who was talking to a call taxi driver over the phone, telling him that she called not to book a ride, but to request him to buy her a pack of cigarettes. The curiosity is evident in the driver’s voice as he tries to prolong the conversation, asking about the brand she wanted, trying to hit on her.

When Shahbas decided to make a short film, this was the idea that came to his mind. “I was intrigued by the comments posted under the video. Random people were blindly judging the girl. Most of the comments were full of hatred, engaging in character assassination of a girl they didn’t even know. I wanted my short film to give a hard slap on their faces.” And it did, gauging from the response.
A wannabe filmmaker, Shahbas is elated. “I didn’t want to preach morality by pushing it down anybody’s throats. The message was conveyed in a subtle manner and I am glad people picked it.”

For the suspense thriller, he roped in state award-winning actor Sudev Nair to play the cabbie. “There couldn’t be any better choice. Impressed by the concept, he readily agreed to play the part,” he recalls.

His friend Alina Padikkal agreed to portray the caller. Being a low-budget production, his friends collaborated for the technical part. The actors stayed at Shahbas’ Kochi apartment, which, incidentally, was the shooting location. “We completed the shooting in one night and the next day,” he adds. The camera, editing and music of Call are handled by Jenson Jacob, Mahesh Bhuvanend and Ifthy respectively. 

Eventhough Call has gone viral, he is not in a hurry to make the big move. “Of course, my dream is to make feature films. But before that, I want to make a series of short films under the banner Sarcasm Next Door – a partnership venture with my brother, wife and friends. There will be more short films with sarcastic undertones and subtle messages,” he says.