Kiss short film review
Cast: Adarsh Gourav, Shubhrajyoti Barat, Swanand Kirkire, Mihir Ahuja
Director: Varun Grover
Star rating: ★★★1/2

Directorial debuts are unique because they give an artist the chance to express something personal and significant to them. Varun Grover, a lyricist and writer, made The Kiss before All India Rank, which serves as the audience's introduction to the topics that have been important to him at some point. (Additionally read: All India Rank film review: Varun Grover's directorial debut is heartwarming and popular.)

The concept

In this instance, the title kiss occurs between two guys. The only thing we hear at first is the sound of the clumsy lips against each other. According to the members of the censor board, Shubhrajyoti Barat and Swanand Kirkire, this is not essential. The two middle-aged men converse with Sam, the young director (Adarsh Gourav), on the purpose of retaining this scene. “What will artists say in response to the query, sir (Why will artists explain why)?” he asks.

However, the three men rewatch the scene in order to measure the length of the kiss, which is a snag. The time stamp varies for each of them, from 28 seconds to over 2 minutes. Why is this the case? Kiss seizes the chance to ask this very issue, demonstrating how everyone is bringing their own subjectivity to the way they see, process, and express themselves.

What works

Kiss is a movie about censorship that seeks to examine the people who are behind the harsh and repressive laws that restrict artistic expression. Those that treat the audience like children by flashing enormous "smoking kills" warnings and showing snippets of adult films. Additionally, Kiss is about the transformation of film into a form of introspection and catharsis. We approach movies with our own biases and viewpoints. The question is whether the darkness in the room gives us the space to unpack and unlearn some of those ingrained ideas about love and life. Kiss is brimming with thoughts and inquiries that, on their own, may seem a bit overbearing, but the honesty endures. It only takes fifteen minutes to pack.

Kiss stands out among the mess of movies being made by the Hindi film business at large due to its sincerity and concern. Consider, as an example, the rise of the hypermasculine character, with all of his nonchalant wrath and unrestrained aggression. The whole purpose of the film is to express wrath, which it does so by easily ignoring nuance and empathy. The man will murder and kiss. Kiss, a short film about guys having sex, dares to question (and yield) what the conflict might be after all, which is a move forward. I have a sense that Varun Grover has more tales to share.

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