‘Ashte (আঁশটে) – The Stench’ is a two-and-a-half-minute independent short film written and directed by Rahul Majumdar and produced by Gaan Bahon Films. The narrative centres on a solitary man in his mid-30s, portrayed by Abhishek Ojha, whose uneventful routine is shattered when he encounters an extra-ordinary presence in his kitchen. The apparition is played by Arunangshu Banerjee, whose performance anchors the film’s tension and atmospheric dread.
Set in a suburban neighbourhood, the film relies on atmosphere, emotional tension, and stark visual cues to convey its sense of unease. Beyond acting, Arunangshu Banerjee worked as assistant director, contributed foley work, shaping the overall auditory texture of the film. The background score, was composed by Rahul Majumdar.
Deepankar Das handled both cinematography and editing, bringing a handheld immediacy and tight pacing to the project. The film’s colour palette was crafted by Sougata Sarkar, whose grading accentuates the gritty suburban atmosphere, while the production environment and visual details were shaped byArt Director Koustav Kundu.
Ashte (আঁশটে) – The Stench stands as a compact example of Kolkata’s evolving independent film movement collaborative, resourceful, and rooted in local storytelling sensibilities.
This film won the award for Best Fictional Screenplay at the West Bengal Short Film Festival on 29th November 2025.
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