IFFI 51, January 16-24, 2021, Goa, 09: Khisa is a tale about loss of innocence and coming-of-age

India's Marathi short film Khisa (Pocket) is now making its way to India, after winning international awardsso many international awards. ''Khisa''short film has been Officially Selected in the Indian Panorama, for 51st International Film Festival of India, Goa 2021. 

The film is Directed by Raj More, under the Banner of PP Cine Production, Mumbai and Laaltippa Films and is Produced by Santosh Maithani and Raj More. It was shot at  Akola (Vidarbha, Maharashtra).

Khisa is the story of a young boy who lives in a remote village in Maharashtra. He decides to get a large pocket stitched for his school shirt, in which he keeps all his precious belongings--petals, coins, marble balls; a pocket he is proud of. It sets him apart from others his age, whose pockets are not only smaller in comparison, but also ordinary, and similar to each other in appearance.The little boy does not understand the politics of symbolism that adults engage in, and his pocket soon becomes a point of contention amongst elders in the village .

Khisa is the directorial debut of the director Raj More, and has won so many international awards, nominations and official selections as film festivals.

Says More, "Khisa is the story of the loss of innocence and coming-of-age of a young boy, and is ironically symbolic of the times we live in. Khisa is a heart-touching tale of a boy which will definitely give the audience a different perspective." He further said that Marathi movies are reaching new heights every day. "Marathi content is making its marks not only in the country but all over the world. This 15-minute film will win many hearts," he opined.

This short film Khisa won two awards at the Istanbul Film Awards 2020, Best Film and Best Screenplay; two other awards international awards, and in India, the very prestigious Screenplay Award at the 10th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, New Delhi, India  2020.

Khisa also qualifies to compete for the prestigious Golden star Awards at the annual live screening gala of IFA, which will be held in Istanbul,Turkey in March, 2021. It also got a nomination for Best international Short Film and Best Director at Dublin International Short  and Music Festival (DISMF) where it had its world's premiere online screening.

It won  two prestigious awards at  Mumbai International Cult Film Festival (MICFF): BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR (MICFF GOLD) for Raj Pritam More and BEST ACTOR IN SUPPORTING ROLE (SPECIAL JURY MENTION) to KAILASH WAGHMARE . 

Written by Kailash Waghmare, Khisa is edited by Santosh Maithani, Director of Photography is Simarjit Singh Suman, Music is by Parijat Chakraborty, Sound Recordist is Kushal Sarda. Kailash Waghmare, Meenakshi Rathod, Shruti Madhydeep, Dr Sheshpal Ganvir and Vedant Shrisagar (child actor) are in the lead roles.