Manasanamaha

The most difficult part of being in a relationship is the other person…am I right?!? (High Five!). When it comes to romance, the stakes are even higher. Deepak Reddy’s Manasanamaha follows the musings of a young man pontificating about the nature of love.

A thoughtful Surya (Viraj Ashwin) says, “the present tastes bitter, and the future looks scary, but what tastes sweet is the past.” It’s how he describes the recent string of his past relationships, primarily with recent flame, Chaitra (Drishika Chander).

Feeling like an episode of Sex in the City, Surya philosophizes about their relationship’s tumultuous end. He recounts the inane arguments with Chaitra. You would think after a 180-day relationship, he’d know her better—that Surya should be able to “read between the lines” or psychically read Chaitra’s mind. It does not help that Surya logically calls out Chaitra on her inconsistencies.

“…philosophizes about their relationship’s tumultuous end.”

The end of their relationship is “bitter,” but then their story runs in reverse to that first meeting’s “sweet” moment. It’s not scenes of their relationship told in reverse order. It’s as if it is on rewind. Reddy not only picks the right moments but the ones that look spectacular in reverse, including a surprise proposal with fireworks, an exciting moment during the color festival, and the accident that brought them together.

Like seasons, Surya’s misfortune in other relationships is played over in similar patterns. Let’s face it. There are two sides to this coin, and Surya is complicit in his own misfortune as well.

I loved this short film. It’s smart and insightful…and it comes from my guy’s perspective. It’s honest enough to admit that we have our own hangups and foibles when it comes to the other sex. There’s an animation element that I’m not sure was needed, but a solid short film all around with the scenes in reverse as its highlight.

Manasanamaha is a production from India, but the challenges of finding love are universal.