|
By
turns darkly comic and unsettling, Thin Air chronicles the
lives of three magicians against the backdrop of contemporary
Bombay: middle-aged magician Shailendra is a prosaic, small-time
entertainer whose entire world hinges on the mistaken belief
that his audience loves him; 12-year-old child-wonder Kruti
Parekh is "the world's youngest magician and India's first
test-tube baby"; and long-forgotten legend Niranjan Mathur
is a fading conjurer, who, having lost his popularity, is
gradually beginning to lapse into dementia. Weaving portraits
of the three magicians, the film introduces a disquieting
link between the characters. This unique documentary traces,
with humour and compassion, the urgent desperation of ordinary
individuals to make an imprint on the world. Thin Air ultimately
offers a refreshingly complex vision of urban life through
three illusionists who have little option but to confront
reality.
About the Director ...
Ashim Ahluwalia
was born in Bombay, India, on June 3, 1972, where he grew
up on a nutritious diet of Hindi-movie extravaganzas and B-grade
American films. He studied film at Bard College in New York
under experimental filmmakers Peter Hutton and Peggy Ahwesh.
His previous film, A Short Season, has been to several film
festivals, including the 19th Asian-American Film Festival
(New York), the Bangkok International Film Festival and the
Bombay International Documentary and Short Film Festival.
Ashim Ahluwalia lives and works in Bombay.
|
