In a quiet village yard bathed in golden evening light, a young boy named Anu plays alone until he notices a dark figure mimicking his every move. At first, it’s playful curiosity as he waves and stomps, watching the shadow respond in perfect sync. But soon, that curiosity turns into fear as the shadow clings to him relentlessly. No matter what he does, he can’t escape it. Driven by panic, Anu tries
to trap it, even demanding it to go away until, suddenly, it vanishes when a cloud hides the sun. The absence of the shadow, once feared, brings a surprising emotion: loneliness. Anu jumps and waves again, hoping to see it, but the space where his shadow
used to be feels emptier than he expected. In losing it, he realizes the shadow had become a silent companion one he never asked for, yet now deeply misses. As the sun reappears, so does the shadow, sliding quietly back to his feet. Anu finally understands it was never his enemy, just a reflection of a part of himself he didn’t yet know how to accept. By the story’s end, Anu embraces the shadow, recognizing it as a piece of who he is. No longer afraid or trying to run, he walks forward with it by his side. What began as fear ends in a quiet understanding of a moment of growth through self-awareness. As he turns back to wave at his shadow one last time, Anu has
learned a lasting truth: sometimes, the things we fear the most are simply the parts of ourselves we haven’t yet learned to love.
Credits
● Director & Writer Surya N Sundaran
● DOP Govardhan Pilli, Pranav Jose N
● Editor Abhinava
● Assistant Director Rohit Mathew
● Assistant DOP Talla Sanjay
