Cinema VinesIn a rare cinematic collaboration, veteran directors Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap will present the coming‑of‑age short film Bobby Beauty Parlour during Friendship Week. The two friends, whose bond dates back to their university days in Delhi, are teaming up to showcase the film on the Oh Short Flips YouTube channel, where Kashyap has been curating content. The premiere is scheduled for August 6 at midnight, aligning the release with the national celebration of friendship.
Directed by Shashwat Dwivedi, Bobby Beauty Parlour follows childhood best friends Eelu and Manu as they spend one last afternoon together before their lives diverge. Set largely inside a local beauty parlour, the short captures the innocence of adolescence through scenes of drinking, napping, arguing, and the bittersweet attempt to hold on to a friendship that is on the brink of change.
Producer Ranjan Singh, who has also curated the film, praised its successful festival run and highlighted that it has travelled to many international festivals. He noted that the story’s heart‑warming focus on friends, life, and reality makes it a perfect fit for a Friendship Week release.
Jan Havi Asthana, the film’s co‑writer and cinematographer, shares credit with Singh and Kashyap for bringing the project to life. The cast includes Adrija Sinha, Parul Rana, Saksham Raj, and Preeti Kochar, who portray the central characters and their close friends.
Both Ali and Kashyap expressed enthusiasm for the project. Ali said the film reminds him of his own hometown, adolescent choices, and the friends he has carried with him, adding that “the most spectacular moments of life don’t scream, but remain a part of our character forever.” Kashyap described the short as a “heart‑felt coming‑of‑age tale about friendship, aspirations and growing up,” and praised Dwivedi’s growth as a filmmaker.
Dwivedi, reflecting on the significance of the collaboration, said the experience was “amazing” because of the people involved. He added that releasing the film on YouTube feels like giving back, especially since he has learned much from the platform, and expressed excitement that two of his favourite filmmakers are presenting his work.
