-Written by Michelle Vorob.
2024 INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES REVIEW!
Bobby Beauty Parlour is a short film about two childhood best friends, Eelu (Adrija Sinha) and Manu (Parul Rana), on the verge of their lives taking very different paths. Eelu is about to leave for college, while Manu is faced with staying in their small hometown and working at their “Aunt Bobby's” (Preeti Kochar) salon.
Eelu arrives at the salon to spend time with Manu on her last day at home. Manu is styling Aunt Bobby's hair. They all chit chat with familiarity, including how Eelu's life is about to change by going to college. What is she going to do after college? Will she come back home, or go to a big city somewhere? Already, we can see the unease Eelu's departure is causing, or maybe it's the heat. The air conditioning isn't on. There's a heatwave. Aunt Bobby faints [what is it with older people not putting on the air conditioning when it's hot?]. Aunt Bobby leaves to rest, the girls put on the air conditioning and have the place to themselves.
Over lunch, the girls talk about nothing, everything and what then transpires is a very natural progression of a conversation that devolves into a fight. Overwhelmed by the changes about to happen for Eelu, overwhelmed by the prospect of a stagnant life for Manu and the unexpected realization that Eelu also has a douchebag boyfriend (Saksham Raj) Manu didn't know about; things are said in haste. The girls are on the verge of being grown and being separated for the first time.
Will they stay best friends? Will they even stay in touch? Will their lives become so different they can't even relate to each other anymore, or will their bond remain strong, like sisters, regardless of where life takes them?
Even good life changes can be fraught with stress and anxiety. You can be happy you're going to college and still be scared to leave home. You can be happy at the prospect of working in and eventually running your own salon and still be fearful of actually doing it. You can also mourn for what will never be. The path not taken. How do you know you're making the right choice? You really don't. All you can do is make the wisest choices as you go and hope for the best.
Directed and co-written by Shashwat Dwivedi, Bobby Beauty Parlour is a heartfelt exploration of the end of childhood, friendship, and the unknown nature of the future. The tight quarters and the heat add to the feelings of stress and anxiety about the changes these girls are about to experience and how nothing can truly prepare you for what it means to grow up.
Bobby Beauty Parlour is an excellent short film that does not disappoint. I actually would've enjoyed this as a feature length film, to delve into the characters and storyline further.
Directed by Shashwat Dwivedi
Written by Shashwat Dwivedi and Janhavi Asthana.
Starring Adrija Sinha, Parul Rana, Preeti Kochar, Saksham Raj.
9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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