The lockdown and social distancing introduced due to COVID-19 resulted in a plethora of changes for all of us, both positive and negative. Life came to a standstill as we were holed up at home, unable to step out to meet our friends, or go to the office, or for grocery shopping, etc. As we spent more and more time at home, our consumption of content on OTT platforms increased. We watched anything and everything to keep ourselves entertained.
What didn’t stop during lockdown was the creativity of filmmakers who experimented with new ways to make OTT content. They shot short films and web series in lockdown with no crew, no budget, using a smartphone to deliver creative content. Some of the best entertainment OTT channels like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, etc. released many such short films and web series during the lockdown.
Below is a list of some of the best short films shot during the lockdown.
Unpaused | Amazon Prime Video
Source: Amazon
Released on 18th December 2020, Unpaused is an anthology of five Hindi short films filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Amazon Original includes the short films Glitch by Raj & DK, Apartment by Nikkhil Advani, Rat-A-Tat by Tannishtha, Vishaanu by Avinash Arun, and Chaand Mubarak by Nitya Mehra. These films are produced by the short film production companies Emmay Entertainment, Pritish Nandy Com. Ltd., Pink Window Productions, Reverie Entertainment, and D2R Films. Unpaused talks about hope and new beginnings in the tough times of pandemic. Watch the trailer of Unpaused below.
Home Stories | YouTube
Source: Cinestaan
Home Stories is a collection of four mini-movies or short films shot during the lockdown starring Arjun Mathur, Apoorva Arora, Veer Rajwant Singh, Imaad Shah, Saba Azad, and Tanmay Dhanania. The mini-movies bring to the forefront different situations people faced during the lockdown. The short films included are Out With It- about a guy Angad, struggling with anxiety to get out of the house, Will You Be My Quarantine- about a guy and a girl stuck together after a one night stand, Delivering Smiles- focusing on the enthusiasm of food delivery guys and Web Ne Bana Di Jodi- about a couple getting married online. Watch the trailer of Home Stories below
Putham Pudhu Kaalai | Amazon Prime Video
Source:Amazon
Putham Pudhu Kaalai is another anthology film in Tamil. It is an amalgamation of five extraordinary tales focusing on hope, love, new beginnings, second chances, and finding a silver lining in these distressing times. Completely shot during lockdown by different directors, the anthology includes- Ilamai Idho Idho by Sudha Kongara, Avarum Naanum – Avalum Naanum by Gautham Vasudev Menon, Coffee, Anyone? By Suhasini Maniratnam, Reunion by Rajiv Menon, and Miracle by Karthik Subbaraj. The short films are produced by the short film production companies Meenakshi Cinemas, Lion Tooth Studios, Madras Talkies, Rajiv Menon Productions, and Stone Bench. Watch the trailer of Putham Pudhu Kaalai below
Locked In Love | Hungama Play
Source: Adgully
Produced by the short film production companies Indian Storytellers and Karma Motion Pictures, Locked In Love is a collection of five short films. Featuring two of the famous actors of the Bollywood industry, Rohit Roy and Manasi Joshi Roy, the anthology highlights the different shades of love. Each short film is a new story based on a particular aspect of love with the two actors playing different roles. Watch the trailer of Locked In Love below
Homemade | Netflix
Source: Amazon
Homemade by Netflix is a collection of seventeen short films shot by some of the greatest directors during the lockdown. The carefully curated stories shed a light on the challenges of life in quarantine during the pandemic. It is shot from the perspective of different people across the world. Watch the trailer of Homemade below
Banana Bread | YouTube
Source: ytimg
A Terribly Tiny Tales production, the short film Banana Bread stars Rasika Dugal and Mukul Chadda. It explores the loneliness and isolation of two neighbors who are trying hard to strike a friendship, helping each other and adjusting to the new normal. It is perfect in terms of execution with the awkward silences, running out of topics to discuss, and the threat of coronavirus on their minds. Watch Terribly Tiny Tales Banana Bread below
Lockdown Horror- Buddy | Disney+ Hotstar
Source: Hotstarext
Produced by the short film production company The Black Pepper Films, Lockdown Horror- Buddy stars Aneri Vajani, Amit Dolawat, and Neelu Kohli. It is a thriller short film that sheds light on the isolation and distress of staying away from home in a big city during the lockdown. Watch the trailer of Lockdown Horror- Buddy here
