OSIAN’s Cinefan Film Festival: Watch out for ‘Monophobia’!

Ananya Bhattacharya

Delhi: The 12th OSIAN’s Cinefan Film Festival which opened to the public on July 27, 2012, saw a glittery day seven. Actor/producer Sanjay Suri was present for the screening of his production ‘Monophobia’, and director Ashwini Malik graced the same with his presence. The film, as the title reveals, revolves around monophobia – the fear of being alone. Akhil, an employee with a private firm, is a monophobe. His fear of being alone has made him suffer a lot, and has turned him into a person who is dependent on people’s presence most of the time. Being alone is an impossible task for the protagonist and he has constantly been dogged by the sheer possibility that some day, he might actually be able to get over his fears. Akhil’s strong desire to get over his monophobia and improvements in his condition after consulting a psychiatrist take him on a journey which he is never to forget. As the trajectory of the film swings from hope to despair, both Akhil’s body and brain are taken for a ride. What ensues is something that nobody could have thought about. Directed by Ashwini Kumar, ‘Monophobia’ is an experiment on the part of the director. The film doesn’t have anybody playing a role out on the screen. The camera turns into the eyes of the protagonist and the film, and the viewer can see exactly what Akhil sees, the way he sees things, and the angle at which he sees the same – for example when Akhil lies down, the camera presents a tilted view of the surroundings and so on. The crew consisted of two members – and Sanjay Suri, the producer entered the scene once the entire film had been shot. ‘Monophobia’ is about an hour long film which deals with an intriguing subject. It delves deep into the psyche of its protagonist, which by extension of the metaphor of the camera resembling the eyes of the viewers, tries to delve into the psyche of the ones watching it too. The viewer goes though moments that the protagonist goes through. The film is one to watch out for. Day seven on OSIAN’s-Cinefan Film Festival saw several screenings. Madhuja Mukherjee’s ‘Carnival’ saw a full house. Other films such as ‘Masala’, ‘The Road’, ‘Love Is Not Blind’ and the like were shown to the public amidst much hope - and received amazing acclaim! Follow @nanya116