Lucknow filmmaker's 'Detective Meter Down' wins Best Short Film award in Germany
Detective Meter Down," a 30-minute short film written by Lucknow's Ghazal Javed and directed by Devansh Agarwal, has won the Best Short Film award at the Indisches Filmfestival Stuttgart in Germany.
The award was presented Tuesday, Javed told PTI.
The detective comedy follows Rajesh Yadav, an autorickshaw driver from Bihar who moves to Mumbai with dreams of becoming a detective. Through his journey, the film explores the aspirations and struggles of migrants in Mumbai, blending humour with emotion.
Javed said the film aims to put a person from a marginalised section of society at the centre of the story, rather than portraying such characters only through their hardships.
"Mumbai's autorickshaw drivers are mostly migrants from other states. We felt every migrant has a story," she said. "Through Rajesh, we have tried to capture the emotions and aspirations of everyone chasing their dreams in Mumbai."
She said the film also conveys the message that every individual has value and a unique place in the world.
"Detective Meter Down" marks Javed's debut as a short-film writer. She is the granddaughter of Lucknow-based writer and freedom fighter Shakeel Siddiqui.
The Indisches Filmfestival Stuttgart, held annually since 2004, is among Europe's major festivals dedicated to Indian cinema. It showcases Bollywood and regional films, as well as parallel cinema, documentaries and short films.
