Calcutta Taxi[1] is a 2012 short film written, co-produced and directed by Vikram Dasgupta in his directorial debut along with Producer Aeschylus Poulos.[2] Calcutta Taxi premiered at Rhode Island International Film Festival, where it won the Directorial Discovery Award and went on to win the Oscars Qualifier Award at the Aspen ShortFest, placing it in contention for the Academy Awards in 2014.[3]A story that unfolds in the midst of a citywide strike, a college student’s frantic quest to retrieve his stolen backpack leads to a chaotic misunderstanding that intertwines the fates of three strangers in Calcutta.[4]
Plot
editSet against the backdrop of a politically charged Calcutta, "Calcutta Taxi" unfolds the story of Adi, a college student who ventures into the city to deliver notes to his friend Kishor before their exams. After a brief stop for water, he discovers that the cab driver, Rasul, has absconded with his backpack. In his desperate search, Adi encounters Bakul, another cab driver who mistakenly believes Adi's bag is filled with money. As the situation escalates, Adi finds himself in the middle of a chaotic scene with police, where a simple misunderstanding turns him into the perceived threat when someone shouts “It’s a bomb.” The film intricately weaves the lives of Adi, Bakul, and Rasul, exploring themes of loss, morality, and the unpredictable nature of life in a bustling city.[5][6][7][8]
Awards and nominations
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2024) |
- Best Drama 2013, Oscars Qualifier, Aspen Short Film Festival, USA [9]
- Directorial Discovery Award, Rhode Island International Film Festival, USA
- Best Narrative Short, Roving Eye International Film Festival, USA
- Best Short Film (Audience Choice), Florence River to River Film Festival, Italy
- Best of the Fest, Anchorage International Film Festival, Alaska
- German Star (Best Short Film), Stuttgart International Film Festival, Germany
- Press/Critic’s Award (Best Short Film), Sedicicorto International Film Festival, Italy
- Recipient of three BRAVO! Fact Awards Short Series (Screenplay) [10]
- Recipient of the (FAP), National Film Board, Canada
Cast
edit- Geeta Bisht - Rasul's wife
- Sunnie James - (as Sunnis D'Souza)
- Anand Rajaram - Rasul Ahmad
- Vipin Sharma - Bakul Bihari [11][12]
References
edit- ^ Small, Courtney (2013-12-11). "Calcutta Taxi". Cinema Axis.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (2023-02-22). "Canadian Screen Awards: TV Drama 'The Porter' Leads With 19 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter.com. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Calcutta Taxi at IMDb
- ^ "Vikram Dasgupta crafts a story that has a universal appeal". The Globe and Mail.com. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Calcutta Taxi (2012)". kamera.co.uk. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Vartanian, Henrick (2013-10-22). "Hitch a Ride in 'Calcutta Taxi' – Film Review - Brave New Hollywood". Brave New Hollywood.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Two Indian films in competition at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ Leggo, Aaron (2013-11-14). "Movie Review: Calcutta Taxi (2012)". The Critical Movie Critics. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Vikram Dasgupta crafts a story that has a universal appeal". The Globe and Mail. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Earnshaw, Helen. "Vikram Dasgupta Discusses Calcutta Taxi". www.femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2024-04-09). "'Monkey Man' Star Vipin Sharma on Playing a Trans Role in Dev Patel's Directorial Debut: 'He Saw Me as a Female Character' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.com. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Sinha, Sayoni (2018-04-25). "'My roles are never black or white'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-09-05.