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Aqua Short Film Review: Water Horror boils down to the Basics

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The short film Aqua released on Aha set in the post-lockdown era lurks around mishaps, bizarre thoughts and sheer ignorance.


Director: Ajay Nag

Writer: Ajay & Sandeep Angadi

Cast: Anitha Chowdary, Uttam, Boddepalli Abhishek

Streaming Platform: Aha 


The pandemic has left many of us in the unforeseen conditions. From cribbing to having been caged in the house till completely altered daily routines, we all have battled through the lockdown in our own way. With the unlock happening phase wise, restrictions are lifted bit by bit. But do we still have the intimidating effect of Lockdown upon us? Seeing the recent Aha release Aqua, one can agree to it. 


The twelve minute long short film is set in the post-lockdown era lurking around inculcating unhealthy routines amid lockdown. The film has a horror backdrop to symbolise the daunting fear and seriousness around one’s safety of life in these uncertain times. It delves into the psyche of the human mind in the moments of physical vulnerability. 


A middle-aged single working woman, Meera (played by Anitha Chowdary) seems to lead a regular life with an addition of face and hand sanitizer in the new normal. She is conflicted through the feelings of fear and nightmares of death due to drowning. The scenes in the short are intentionally written in a way that till the climax we don’t realise how daily habits of life affect our physical and mental well being to a larger extent. One can assume that Meera has lived throughout the lockdown alone and loneliness has become such an integral part of her life, which it isn’t addressed unless she is in deep agony. Only in the times of complete despair do we, both Meera and the audience, realize that she is grappling with loneliness. 

To top up her emptiness, the concept of overthinking is portrayed very interestingly. Overthinking does not only lead to panic or anxiety but also makes Meera very irrational in her thinking. Preconceived notions and superstitions complements her overthinking to create fright around the life happenings. It succumbs to instil fear in her, pushing her to think more dramatically than rationally. Scene wherein Meera lights a matchstick in front of the deity symbolises hope of bringing happiness back into her life by eradicating the darkness that “AQUA - The Water” creates in her nightmares. A sharp yet subtle human behaviour is noticed when Meera chooses to comfort herself by ritualistic practices. However, nothing works well. The problem gets worse unless she meets her liftmate, who is an employee at a medical clinic. He rightfully reasons out the cause to her problem and makes Meera realise the simple solution to an overly built problem.

Aqua in an alarming way puts out a message to be more mindful, pressing on the ignorance we all have towards minute actions of life. 

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