Ketu (2020)

'Ketu' is a cosmic shadow, often referred to as an imaginary planet in Hindu astrology, which has deep impact on human lives. It represents consequence of all actions, good and bad. It causes material losses in order to force a more spiritual outlook in a person. The film is an intense psychedelic portrait of life in Isolation, as experienced due to the COVID 19 lockdown. The film shows a character, the filmmaker himself (who shoots himself as 'selfie-cinematography'), trapped inside a small room. The entire film shows the character's state of mind in the lockdown. His only interaction with the outside world is through his computer screen and a mobile. He often video-calls his girlfriend, who he has named 'Mild Headache' as seen in phone directory, and she seems to be a character of sorts. She amuses, yet keeps complaining about the lockdown. The computer screen flashes up world news and political views. He listens to the Prime Minister of India urging people to light candles as the entire country feels helpless battling the Pandemic. Through the computer, he also reads about the terrible condition of Italy and USA. The pandemic reaches him, only through his computer, and in politicized fashion. Only the monotony is his reality. Days pass by, dreams pass by, often overlapping each other as dreams and reality together gets entangled within a claustrophobic cycle under the lockdown, craving for freedom and hope. And the situation continues .