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ZOYA

ZOYA

ZOYA

Short, Romance, drama, musical

India

2024

Runtime, min

20

“Zoya” is a story about the collision of dreams with reality, the unspoken rules of social hierarchy and the quiet rebellions that define who we are. Set within the ageing confines of Awasthi Masala Pvt. Ltd., Zoya, the unassuming office butler harbors a quiet yet reckless infatuation with Aniket Chaudhary – the charismatic new boss and son-in-law of the Awasthi family, poised to ascend as the company’s next CEO. Aniket’s arrival into the sluggish workplace jolts Zoya out of her immediate reality and into her vivid fantasies. Aniket’s simple order of a black coffee without sugar is as though a cautionary sign from cupid – a warning against her forbidden desire. Yet, in a moment of subtle defiance, she adds a hint of sweetness to his cup. Each sip he takes fuels Zoya’s imagination of a world in which they are drawn closer in a precarious dance of desire and silent rebellion. However, her dream shatters when Tara, Aniket’s elegant fiancé, enters whose seamless integration into Aniket's life and the company serves as a painful contrast to Zoya’s unrequited longing, underscoring the rigidity of social hierarchies and the futility of her desires. In a rare late-night encounter, Zoya sees the man behind the title—a kindred spirit burdened by expectations and struggling against the confines of inherited privilege. As Aniket’s farewell day approaches, Zoya is left to confront her own illusions and make a final choice: will finally surrender to the unyielding forces of societal expectations that have defined their fleeting connection or will she say her goodbyes as an equal?
Sayantan Mukherjee

Director:

Sayantan Mukherjee

Film Reel
Film Reel
Film Reel

Selections and Awards:

Smita Patil International Film Festival Pune World Premiere Best Director Award India, Jaipur International Film Festival Jaipur, Rajasthan Official Selection / Nomination Short Film Category India

REVIEWS:

The way this film merges the musical with workplace realism is bold and fresh. That song - 'I have only one heart / what if it gets upset' - gave me chills. Bollywood minimalism at its finest.

Ella Guidetti

This is a film about class without ever naming it. Zoya’s inner world is expressed through gesture, silence, and fantasy. The musical interludes are brilliant - emotional without melodrama.

Javier Martinez Perez

A masterclass in restraint. This film lets class tension simmer under the surface while presenting Zoya not as a victim, but as a quiet revolutionary. That final look - her farewell as an equal - was everything.

David Jilla

She never even said it out loud… and yet I knew exactly how she felt. That awkward joy. That heartbreak when Tara arrives. Her silence screamed. And when she said goodbye? I cried.

Monya Vorotnikovsky

I totally felt for her. That moment with the sugar in the coffee? That hit me hard. It was such a small thing, but it meant everything. I really hoped they’d end up together - but I get why it didn’t happen.

Michael Lee

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