Short dark comedic fantasy by Sophiyaa Nayar now streaming.

CONTENT WARNING: Inferences to sexual assault.

Somewhere between fantasy and paranoia, a comically absurd doctor’s appointment cracks open, unraveling the psyche of a survivor grappling with sexual assault. Drawing on the epic action of "RRR" and the mythic storytelling of "Pan's Labyrinth," "Chhaya" is crafted as a visual odyssey and an emotional unraveling. It ventures into the darkest corners of Jiya's mind, where her desire to flee from her past is as strong as her need to face it. The film's daydream sequence starts playfully but gradually takes on a surreal, haunting quality, embodying the inescapable nature of her experiences. The film is steeped in the history of suppressed female anger, an echo of stories like Draupadi's from the Mahabharata. Through "Chhaya," we question the inherited legacy of silent endurance and challenge the convention of muted female rage.