Rohit Rajrenu Shukre’s 13-minute short Tempo is about a typically Mumbai nightmare – finding the perfect van to transport furniture from one suburban location (Goregaon) to another (Andheri).
The process involves haggling with the driver over transport costs and moving large household items out of a high-rise apartment while constantly trying to placate a nagging family member – all of which the film’s lead, Roshan Vichare, executes with intimidating self-confidence.
Vichare’s unnamed character is a hands-on office executive who hires driver Bhaskar (Manoj Bhise). The wide-eyed Bhaskar is not as naive as he looks, and thinks he will get the better of Vichare by stealing trinkets from his apartment.
Shukre’s climax provides a superb twist without any obvious build-up. The tagline, “Have you hired a tempo to shift your house before, beware the next time you do so,” will leave you smirking in approval.