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‘Siri- the living scarecrow’, short film with dash of fiction but sea of truth
MUMBAI: Imagine the life of a man living like a mere scarecrow with no one to share his emotions with! Much disturbing isn’t it? Neeru Khera’s The Creative Gypsy has come up with a new short film titled as SIRI – the living scarecrow. The movie talks about Siri, a worker and farmer in the earlier times working for big landlords and getting paid 1 /13th share of the harvest as his compensation.
As times changed and technology took over the farm work, Siri was reduced to just a farm servant living a life of almost a scarecrow. The share now turned into salary per month and he became just like a guard man of the farms.
“This is not a preachy film. We have not gone into the hardships of a farmer’s life. This film is a story of a 75 year old farmer living alone in a large agricultural land. He misses his family his wife his only son who are not there with him. So much happens in one night that it will surprise you though not with overly dramatic emotional presentation. We had a great time interacting with the farmers and knowing the stories of their lives,” said Khera.
Slated to launch today, this moving short film depicts the world of the aggressive rich and rude urban youth clashing with a poor farmer which changes everything for them.
Though abandonment of parents is a truth touching people from all walks of life, the reality is much more graver than what we hearsay. In those times, lot of poor families abandoning their old parents to fend for themselves who started taking up for jobs at farm merely became scarecrows in a life of total loneliness.This story is based on one such man who waited for his son to come and take him after he abandoned him. He waited for his son for years but he never came .
The story is a slice of life from the farmlands of India but its core emotions finds its voice in various parts of the world and echoes for eternity.
She further added, “This is not a anti system film, it’s pure heart and a slice of life of a farmer where loneliness is the biggest enemy.”
The 20 minute film is made by Dabboo Malik and has an interesting song composed by Sukhwinder Singh. The theme song has been sung by Armaan Malik.
Shot on Cannon 5D and GoPro for some interesting and difficult shots, the lead in the movie does not come from an acting background. The film was shot in patiala and in the heart of Punjab and stars Abhay Attri as the lead man as a hardcore patiala boy.
“I gave a freehand to Dabboo to make this movie. I only sat for the editing work. It was very difficult for us to shoot as Siri’s are only found in inskirts and were not keen on coming in front of the camera.”
The role of the protagonist has been played by Mehar Singh who has spent his entire life at the fields. He has never been out of there and virtually spends his life as a living scarecrow.
“Mehar Singh has never acted in any film before and he still lives there doing his duty. It’s so real that it makes you feel the pain and loneliness of this man,” added Khera.
In the past, Khera’s channel has also been credited with the revolutionary web series All About Section 377 directed by Amit Khanna. The duo is all geared up for the second season of the series which will be taken to the villages of India. Apart from being in touch with various sponsors to get on board, the series will have a transgender angle to it and is estimated to launch by October.
With the success of her last two series, one thing that is bound to happen is a larger appetite for concepts like these. Kudos to her and the team for such wonderful efforts!
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
