Written and directed by Prataya Saha, 1924 - The Kakori Project is set the year before the 1925 Kakori Train Robbery, a key point in the Indian fight for independence when revolutionaries attacked and looted a train car carrying taxes swiped from Indiana and headed toward the British treasury. In this film, a young man is tasked with assassinating a British informer, however, such a task, while perhaps noble in some ways, is presented with its inherent moral complexities including the remarkable trauma inflicted upon the children, in this case primarily a single child, who serve as witnesses. 

In a world that seems incredibly bent toward armed conflict, this clear and concise short film feels incredibly appropriate and timely despite its 1924 setting. While it is helpful to know the background of this story, it's not particularly necessary to appreciate Saha's meaningful words and powerful imagery. It begins, really, with a visual of a man sitting alongside a river reading Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Anandmath (Abbey of Bliss), the images and words to follow quietly haunting and rippling in their impact. It may be tempting to call 1924 - The Kakori Project a film that is too brief to satisfy. Hogwash. It is a perfect example of how one can take a single instance from a much bigger story and craft a wholly satisfying, absolutely engaging short film. 

And yet, yes, you will also be left wishing for more. 

The small ensemble cast is effective throughout. Lensing by Joydeep Bhowmik is intimate yet jarring, emotionally honest yet also filled with imagery that is thoughtful and immensely meaningful. Karthik Bhandare's original music serves as a gentle companion for Saha's storytelling and both weave a tapestry of rich historicity and emotional peaks and valleys. 

1924 - The Kakori Project is as complex as Saha's storytelling with a story demanding to be told and imagery one won't soon forget. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic