The Kannada short film ‘Public Toilet’, written and directed by Nagesh Hebbur, holds a mirror up to the ill effects of social media trolls on women.
The 23-minute short is a hard-hitting take on the real story of a woman from Tumakuru, who was caught sharing an intimate moment with a man in a public toilet. The video, in which the woman helplessly questions the man capturing the video, “Yakanna” (But why?), went viral in 2019.
Traumatised by the incessant trolls, the woman made multiple videos requesting people to stop shaming her.
“I wanted to share the story to the world. I made the film hoping it would stir up discussions and the positive response from people has been overwhelming,” says Nagesh Hebbur, who also hails from Tumakuru.
The short is a warning of sorts to those involved in cyber-bullying. A like, share and comment can make or break one’s life, stresses Nagesh. “It’s about time we realised that our actions have consequences. It is very disturbing to see innocent people suffering,” says Nagesh, who has earlier assisted veteran filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrashekar.
The film was shot in less than three days in Malagala, Nagarbhavi, in August last. Nagesh thanked the people of the area for being supportive despite the tense-filled pandemic situation.
The short, which slams the objectification of women, has received praise from prominent Kannada film industry personalities like Rishab Shetty, Jayathirtha, Upendra, Nagathihalli, Dayanand TK and B Suresha.
‘Public Toilet’, produced by Bhavani Capture and Suchitra Venugopal, is available on YouTube.
A gritty watch
The actors Sampath Mytherya, Swetha Srinivas, Karthi Soudaram, Mahantesh Herimat and Ningaraj Mandya play their role to perfection.
In the technical department, the cinematography from Abhishek G Kasargodu stands out. The edgy camera movements and the lighting is apt for the film’s dark tone.
The film doesn’t waste time on melodrama and beautifully slips in a message without moving into a preachy zone. ‘Public Toilet’ is a crisp watch and leaves you thinking on the age-old problem of belittling of women.