Private Project

That Perfect Day

Like his other classmates, 10-year-old Michael wishes to distribute fancy chocolates for his birthday. But, aware that his father, a modest driver, cannot afford it, Michael finds unusual ways to raise the money, along with his best friend.

  • Anup Abraham Parackal
    Director
  • Anup Abraham Parackal
    Writer
  • Arastu Zakia
    Writer
  • Bhavya Sethi
    Producer
  • Pranay Singh Solanki
    Producer
  • Tanmay Dhanania
    Key Cast
    "Abraham"
  • Srij Bhattacharya
    Key Cast
    "Michael Abraham"
  • Ipsita Kundu
    Key Cast
    "Annie "
  • Arfat Ali
    Key Cast
    "Patrick Fernandez"
  • Parag Ashtikar
    Music
  • Omkar Gheware
    Editor
  • Anando Sakhare
    Sound Recordist & Designer
  • Jayadev IR
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, family, Children
  • Runtime:
    23 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Bengali, English, Hindi
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute
Director Biography - Anup Abraham Parackal

An early memory of Anup, growing up in a cramped one room apartment, was to wait for his father during weekends who always managed to rent VCR cassettes of latest movies. It is possible that movies gave hope, some intangible sense of wonder. From then on, Anup completed his masters and after working for 5 years, decided to quit his job and join Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute and is currently studying filmmaking.

Anup’s first short, is a coming-of-age story of a 10-year-old Michael, the son of a driver, whose goal is to somehow distribute expensive chocolates to his school classmates on his birthday.

Anup has also co-written a 30-minute short film – RIHA. In the film the protagonist, Zoya Diwan, a Muslim woman and her 8-year-old son are stuck in an abusive marriage with the Father Mirza Diwan, when she gets sought out for help by Ayesha - a victim of Triple Talaq (a practice of a Muslim man saying 'Divorce, divorce, divorce' thrice resulting in an instant, verbal, unilateral divorce). The film has been selected in Dharamshala International Film Festival, Tasveer, BISFF to name a few.

Apart from this Anup is currently involved as a researcher in a film in the writing stage, set in pre-independent British occupied India, about the revolutionary activities of the organization - Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This short film is a love letter to my father. It’s based on real memories from my childhood—moments that I didn’t fully understand back then. Now, as I’ve grown older, I realize the struggles my father went through to provide me with a better life. This film is my way of honoring that love and sacrifice.

The story also touches on how inequality seeps into a child’s world in subtle ways. Something as simple as wanting to distribute chocolates on my birthday became a moment where I first sensed that divide. It became a big issue in my head and I often ponder, should schools be more cognizant of this.

We made this film with a small budget in film institute, but it came together because of the kindness of many. St. Anthony's School gave us their campus to shoot, the chapel opened its doors, and people who attend the Sunday mass came in early to be extras—all out of sheer belief in the story.

Hoping that in the long term, this film will be viewed by wider audiences and in some way remind them of their childhood or at least some parts of it.