This year is seeing festival screens, streaming platforms and digital spaces like Spotify giving filmmakers more room to play, experiment and tell short stories. Indian filmmakers are having plenty of fun with the short form this year diving into intimate dramas, sharp comedies, climate stories, psychological thrillers and musical meditations on grief. With filmmakers and producers such as Naseeruddin Shah, Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane backing the form, Indian shorts are getting bigger attention. Here are some of the year’s most interesting ones to watch.
Incognito
Set in a dingy by-the-hour motel, Ravi Muppa’s debut short Incognito follows a cash-strapped manager who secretly films guests to make extra money. His voyeuristic hustle takes a darker turn when he captures footage of a young girl who may be at risk of trafficking. Presented by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane on July 15, 2026, the 25-minute Hindi psychological thriller turns surveillance into a tense moral dilemma, probing privacy, complicity and the uneasy space between predator and protector.
It’s Only 47°C
At 47°C, there is no escaping the heat. Tej Sisodia’s It’s Only 47°C observes traffic constable Laxman Chaubey, played by Sharib Hashmi, through one brutal day in an Indian city, where he crosses paths with a farmer, rickshaw puller and street vendor. Produced by Civic Studios and Naseeruddin Shah’s Motley Movies, the Hindi climate drama turns extreme heat into a question of inequality, showing how rising temperatures fall hardest on those who work outdoors. Released July 10, it closes with a poem by Swanand Kirkire.
The Abeyance
Aadhithya Sankara Mahadevan’s The Abeyance is a quiet drama about what happens when grief leaves a person suspended between holding on and moving forward. The film follows a young woman struggling with a painful loss as an unexpected connection draws her out of emotional isolation, forcing both people to reckon with memory, silence and vulnerability. Released by Drixa Productions on July 31, 2026, the short uses restrained pacing, intimate close-ups and a muted soundscape to capture the fragile, uncertain process of healing.
Giving Mom the Talk
Vidhya Iyer’s Giving Mom the Talk turns the familiar sex-talk setup on its head. An Indian-American daughter decides her mother deserves a conversation about sex, pleasure and self-care after realising how much of her life has been spent putting everyone else first. The comedy uses awkwardness and humour to tackle subjects often left unspoken in South Asian families, from sexuality and intergenerational communication to the emotional labour women carry. It is a warm, funny look at what happens when daughters start caring for their mothers.
Duet
Set during the pandemic, Sheetal Menon’s Duet is Spotify’s first-ever short film premiere. It follows Mihir, a pianist living in isolation after the death of his estranged brother. As grief and guilt settle into the silence of a sprawling house, music becomes his way of confronting what he has left unresolved. Released globally on July 30 and produced by Bejoy Nambiar, the short moves at a meditative pace, using intimate performances to produce a sensorial account.
Yeh Bambai
Released August 1, Valmik Puri’s Yeh Bambai is about an aspiring filmmaker returning to Mumbai, only to find the city he once imagined colliding with the life in front of him. As ambition gives way to regret and self-doubt, the film explores the psychological toll of chasing success in a city that sells dreams unevenly. Shot across Mumbai with a small crew, its naturalistic performances and grounded visuals keep the story close to everyday reality.
Words Nidhi Soni
Date 25.8.2026