Private Project

Love Undoes

A man tries to keep himself together as he waits in a university canteen for his beloved from yesteryear. "Pyaar Andaaz" is a short experience attempting to capture the ephemeral nature of love and human connection in a single continuous take.

  • Laksh Banthia
    Director
  • Laksh Banthia
    Writer
  • Partha Goswami
    Producer
  • Saayok Chakrobarty
    Key Cast
    "Lover"
  • Dora Bhattacharjee
    Key Cast
    "Beloved"
  • Febbard P. Lyngdoh
    Director of Photography
  • Sourav Biswas
    Sound Design
  • Vina
    Production Design
  • Hitesh Panwar
    Editing
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Pyaar Andaaz
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 25, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    155 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    English, Hindi
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute
Director Biography - Laksh Banthia

Laksh is interested in exploring themes such as visibility, alienation and shame in contemporary society.

This interest emerged through his ongoing training at SRFTI, but really takes root in his experience of watching films alone in theaters since the age of eight. In college, apart from studying English Literature, he engaged with cinema by completing a concentration in film studies, founding the film society, and making a short film for his undergraduate dissertation.

To him, cinema is about the unknown, and he strives to tell stories of the unknown with emotional authenticity and visual flourish.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Pyaar Andaaz" literally translates to "The Way of Love". But the word "andaaz" (way/style) is also a wordplay on its English homophone "undoes", rending the additional meaning that "love undoes". With this film, I have attempted to capture love as a power that undoes concepts of time, identity and control. To me, love is the antithesis of control, and is more akin to submission and openness, which is the central theme of the film.

This theme has been explored through the setting of a rendezvous in the chaotic space of an Indian college canteen. Through the use of a long take, we explore the dynamics between two people with a deep connection who never seem to be able to share the same space at the same time. When they do share the same space and frame, it is transitory and ephemeral. Ultimately, "Pyaar Andaaz" aims to evoke the temporary nature of human connection that often undoes the self and catches one unawares.