Forbidden love is one of the rarest themes explored in mainstream Hindi cinema as it may not sit well with the the general public. Almost as if conscious of that, director Tanuja Chandra handles the topic in the most delicate manner in her short film Silvat. The film explores the brief, beautiful and forbidden relationship between a tailor, Anwar (Kartik Aaryan) and a married woman, Noor (Meher Mistry) whose husband works in Riyadh.
The film is classic example of how the intimacy of a relationship can be conveyed without many intimate scenes. Chandra was able to use the film's visual language to express the nature of their relationship, letting a few glances between Anwar and Noor speak for themselves. There are other wonderfully subtle scenes, like how Noor gently touches Anwar's half-emptied chai cup before washing it off and how she neatly makes her bed with a fabric that has a certain importance in their relationship.
Silvat plays out like a poem for lovers separated by external circumstances. The film deals with the duality of a forbidden relationship. Their love is pure yet sinful. Both Anwar and Noor go through a range of conflicting emotions, even as they deeply cherish their time together. Noor is torn between her loyalty towards her husband and her pure love for Anwar. The melancholy music elevates each scene and helps to represent this dilemma.
It is a delight to see Kartik Aaryan in an avatar different from his usual Delhi boy persona. Meher Mistry comfortably steps into the skin of Noor's character, conveying her pain, and dilemma with conviction. In a beautiful scene, Noor hears about her husband's return and her rollercoaster of emotions is heartbreaking to watch. There's excitement in for what she is about to gain but there's also the loss of what she already had.
Silvat's short duration feels both a boon and bane at times. It is not underpaced but it seems rushed at times, progressing before we couldcan emotionally invest in the characters. Despite these issues, the film is a joy to watch.