Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap has thrown his weight behind ‘Aakhri Ride’ (The Last Ride), set to screen as one of the market picks at the upcoming short film market in Clermont-Ferrand.
The film follows Aman, a Mumbai taxi driver racing to secure his sister’s wedding dowry, whose night takes an unexpected turn when he picks up a mysterious passenger – a chodil (a demonic witch). A supernatural encounter forces him to confront deeper truths about urban survival and morality.
Several films directed by Kashyap have been screened at Cannes, including Kennedy (2023), Psycho Raman (2016), Ugly (2013), Bombay Talkies (2013) and Gangs of Wasseypur ( 2012). In addition, several films he has produced have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
“When I read the script, I really liked it,” says Kashyap, who serves as a producer alongside Ranjan Singh, Vishesh Agrawal and Rajan APK. “It is a story about characters that we meet every day in our lives, and yet we probably never stop to think about what is happening in “I watched the film, and the style, the design, the editing, the way the performances were done, there was a simplicity in its rawness… I feel the film will definitely be loved by audiences all over the world.
The short film marks the directorial debut of Vijesh Rajan and Yashoda Parthasarthy, who previously worked with Kashyap as motion designers and VFX supervisors since Gangs of Wasseypur. “After years of working as motion designers and visual effects supervisors, we felt it was finally time to tell a story with personal meaning,” the directing duo said. “A lot of our reflective moments happened in the back of taxis late at night, talking to drivers who somehow gave us a different perspective on our lives.”
The film stars Chandan Roy, Aamir Dalvi, Faisal Malik, and Dhir Heera, with cinematography by Krish Makhija and music by Achint Thakkar.
The film is a co-production between Flip Films, known for the festival circuit hit “Little Thomas” and award-winning short films like “Bhed Bakri Bhoot”; Navaras Pictures, which produced the series “Shanti Bhavan” for Viacom18; and Plexus Motion Pictures, the production company of the directing duo that makes their debut with this project.
“It’s a very local story about Mumbai, but at the same time it’s so universal that it could now take place in any major city in the world,” says Ranjan Singh of Flip Films.