A tale of loveless passion

When he chose the title ‘Half Girlfriend’ for his short film, little did Jaya Shankarr know that it would be one of the factors that would skyrocket it to popularity, registering three lakh views in a short period of time.

“I should thank Chetan Bhagat for that,” he jokes, referring to the author’s recently released book that has the same title. Jokes apart, Jaya Shankarr says that his short film and Bhagat’s novel have nothing in common. “Except for the name, nothing is similar. My film discusses loveless sex and I think the way the topic has been dealt with is the reason it has clicked with the viewers,” he explains.

The video became so popular that it ranked in the top 10 popular videos on YouTube for sometime before the trailer of Superstar Rajinikanth’s ‘Lingaa’ pushed it off the spot.

The 26-year-old independent filmmaker, who has been making films for the past five years, says that he is largely influenced by Sigmund Freud’s ideology and that is the reason the film uses the motifs inspired from the popular psychoanalyst’s philosophy as a backdrop.

Also, the film is laced with reflections on karma among other things. “I wanted to deliver a message through my film, but I didn’t want to just tell it out. I wanted to deliver it through the story. And I think I managed to do that. If the story isn’t good, the video wouldn’t get so many hits,” says an elated Jaya Shankarr, who plans to begin work on another indie short film.

While the movie has managed to strike a chord with many netizens, Jaya Shankarr says that it wouldn’t have been possible if not for the support from Runway Reel.

“Not only did they help me with the equipment, but they also promoted the film and made it what is today. Another great support was my friend Chandrakala, who produced the film. I will forever be grateful,” he says.

But the biggest motivation for the young director is the appreciation that has been pouring in from the cinema industry. “Sukumar, Kajal Aggarwal, Rahul Ravindran and Satyanand are among the few who appreciated my work. When renowned people recognise your effort, what more can one want?” he shares, before signing off.