“SALTWATER” — A short film by Mild Mannered & Timid

About the film:

“Saltwater,” released in July 2024, is a short film that offers intimate glimpses into vulnerable moments within an Indian American family. With a dense, multilayered, yet simple approach, the film explores the reluctance to confront grief in South Asian culture, particularly among men. “Saltwater” seeks to illuminate the silences between moments where individuals feel alone in bearing the weight of their sadness and distress. It is an important and rarely seen portrayal of masculinity in a South Asian family, examining the evolving relationship between a father and son.

About the creators and their work:

Mild Mannered & Timid is a South Asian digital multimedia company founded by Kunal M. Patel (musician, producer and entertainment attorney for Apple TV+), Rianjali Bhowmick (singersongwriter, composer and producer) and Kush Parmar (producer and audio engineer), that produces a vast array of content focusing on what it means to be brown across the diaspora.

In their Mission statement, they explain, “We tell the story in two ways:

1. Through our podcast where we have informed conversations about current events/pop culture and how that affects our community, as well as interviews where we share the stories of leaders and trailblazers in our community across industries. We have interviewed the likes of Nina Davuluri (former Miss America), Joseph Patel (Oscar-winning producer, director and writer of ‘Summer of Soul’).

2. Through our several scripted and unscripted films (won at South Asian Film Festival of America, selected at Wisconsin Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, Chicago South Asian Film Festival and more). We recently finished our first scripted short film ‘Saltwater’ and are currently in post-production for two feature length documentaries: A) ‘Hoop Like This: The India Rising Story’: An inspiring documentary about the 12 best South Asian ballers from around the world who join forces to compete for $1 million to show the world Indians can hoop on ESPN’s international stage, and B) ‘Incarnations of I’: A story about a Bengali American Woman that mines the generational trauma hidden behind her religious practices. Both here in the States — her birthplace — and in her parents homeland of India, she discovers the many ways that love, loss and art bind people together as they begin to let go of their past.”

Mild Mannered & Timid is a creative team that seeks to celebrate and honor their community’s heritage by featuring the homegrown stories and journeys of those who came before us, and also recognizing South Asians and their achievements across industries.

Reviews about “Saltwater” from the Monsoon team:

“Mild Mannered & Timid have truly outdone themselves with this film. ‘Saltwater’ meaningfully addresses grief and masculinity, which are largely unspoken topics in our community, by challenging how we deal with these feelings and identities within our own homes. Using relatable motifs, ‘Saltwater’ makes me reflect on my own complicated familial dynamics. Their film brings back nostalgic, bittersweet and tough memories that perhaps many in the South Asian American community can see themselves represented in. The use of vivid camera lenses, artistic angles and color grading softens the film’s difficult themes, and the actors expertly portrayed the complexities of growing up, childhood and parenthood, and familial bonds that develop and change over time. I look forward to seeing more of Mild Mannered & Timid’s work in the future.”

~ Anshu Shah, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Monsoon (2023–24)

“‘Saltwater’ expertly navigates the intricate dynamics of an Indian family, shedding light on the delicate balance between the roles of father, mother and son. Through its thoughtful use of metaphor, the film poignantly validates the importance of emotional expression in a cultural context where emotions are often regulated or suppressed.

In South Asian culture, there exists a tendency to control and direct emotions, creating a sort of jilted emotional puppetry that allows some feelings while vehemently shunning others. ‘Saltwater’ explores the limits of this emotional binary, confronting the weight of grief and conflict — the deeper ills that challenge our capacity for control. The film serves as a powerful reminder that emotional expression, the permittance of that ebb and flow, is not only necessary but also deeply human. Through an impressive display of color, dialogue and setting, the minds at Mild Mannered and Timid speak to a type of tension tempered by tradition, expertly conveying a story that is sure to resonate with South Asian audiences and beyond.”

~ Zuhaa Asrar, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Monsoon (2023–24)

“Armed with a precise eye and tangible pathos, the team behind “Saltwater” has crafted a heartbreaking and thoughtful ode to the stunted nature of masculine emotionality amidst the upper-class Indian diaspora. The patience displayed in the film’s narrative and visual construction leaves it feeling less like a rushed summary and more like a rewarding slow burn; impressive, considering its efforts to pack years of family life into just 11 minutes. Internal conflict is delicately linked to the physical conditions of these characters: where cooking may only be a means for survival, nourishment, or even obedience, for many, in this specific context, it can be a way of expressing oneself, both in presentation and, crucially, preparation. The physical impact of chores like cooking, or even simpler things like administering a bandage or picking up a phone can render a deep emotional impact. That ‘Saltwater’ explains all of this by never being flamboyant or ostentatious renders it a true marvel—one you should not miss.”

~ Arul Gundam, Co-Editing Chair of Monsoon (2023–24)

“Saltwater” Full Credits with Instagram handles:

Directed by: Sachin Dharwadker @sachinfilms

Produced by: Kunal M. Patel @kalysay, Rianjali Bhowmick @rianjalimusic, Kush Parmar

@kushparm

Production Company: Mild Mannered & Timid @mildmanneredtimid

Written by: Naveed Khan @_navk

Director of Photography: Spencer Mann @spencermanndp

Producer: Colt Kozal @coolterkoozal

Music: Rianjali Bhowmick @rianjalimusic

Starring: Sanjay Chandani @sanjaychandani, Deepti Gupta @thedeeptigupta, Rishi Mahesh

@rishipuff, Armaan Pun Medatia (@sheetal819)

Production Designer: Armaan Pujani @p_maan96

Costumer Designer: Sweta Vakani

Sound: Pat Birk @_pat_birk

Colorist: Jake M. White @Jake.m.white

1st ADS: Giselle Bonilla @locanilla, Jonah Lipton @jonah_offline

1st AC: Anthony Minassian @minassian_fo_lyfe

2nd AC: Priscilla Mars @priscilla_mars

Key grip: Nicholas Luna @nicholasluna_

Gaffer: Damon Mavroudis @dmavroudis

Swing: Diane Devilers @dianedevilair

HMUA: Rose Zubler @rosetarts_xmakeup

BTS Photography and Videography: ShahRukh Tailor @sharkbaitwhohaha

Art PAs: Paige Schaeffer @paige__schaeffer, Ivanka Lawrence @ponka_wonka, Yajie Qin @yajie_q

PAs: Zeek Goodman @ez.goodman, Hank Stone

Location: Ben Brams @benbrams, Shams Ahmed @theonlyshamsyouknow

Catering: @pijjapalace, Biryani Box LA

Festivals and Screenings for “Saltwater”:

**World Premiere — Wisconsin Film Festival 2023

**Selection — Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2023

**Selection — Culver City Film Festival

**Screened — Greenway Court Theatre, Los Angeles

**Selection — Bengali Film Festival of New York 2024