Avika Gor and Manish Raisinghani get shorty

Avika Gor and Manish Raisinghani are chuffed to call themselves the Yash Raj of short films in India, as they shoot portions of their upcoming short films in Switzerland. The duo that played husband and wife in Sasural Simar Ka discovered a passion for making short films when they sent their debut short Ankahee Baatein to the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. Now, with as many as three short film scripts in the pipeline, the actors would be shooting in Switzerland soon.

“We’ve been roped in by Star News to promote tourism in Switzerland. So while we shoot our short films there, the promotional video will capture us behind the scenes,” informs Manish. Avika quips, “We are happy to believe that we are the YRFs of short films by going and shooting in Switzerland.” Not just Switzerland, they would also be shooting in France before their Cannes appearance. “We are going to spend the first few days exploring Switzerland and France and shoot at the untapped locations,” says Avika.

Called I, Me, and Myself, the short film would be the television sweethearts’ second entry to Cannes. The six-minute film has been written and acted in by Avika and directed and edited by Manish who also did the VFX.  “The film is about human nature from a teenager’s perspective where we are never happy and always want more,” says Manish. The script was originally a poem written by Avika. “Seeing the reality around me —teenagers struggling with their own selves - I wanted to make something that would inspire people, and Manish encouraged me to pen it down,” says Avika.

Avika and Manish are also learning the ropes of filmmaking together. “I learnt VFX for this film and now Avika is learning it too,” Manish reveals. Even though Manish is 37 and Avika 19, Manish confesses that Avika believes that she is more mature mentally. “I’m very forgetful while she’s very organised and has great managerial skills, so sometimes she behaves like I’m a completely dud,” Manish laughs. “Yes, but Manish is extremely creative, dedicated, and compassionate, which is admirable,” Avika says.

The actors are happier being away from the hectic schedules of television for a while. “Apart from the short films, there’s something very good on the web that I cannot reveal right now,” says Manish. Avika is pursuing a screenplay course from the New York Film Academy and will have something big to announce soon. About their link-up rumours Manish says, “After a point you just turn a deaf year to them, put your head down and work.”