Ajay K Saklani

Saanjh marks the debut of Producer and Director, Ajay K Saklani, who, through this movie attempts to bring to the fore the lesser known Himachali language and tries to revive the almost forgotten Tankri Script. Saanjh is the first feature film to have been made and released in the Western Himalayan/ Pahari language. The serenity of village life amidst the Himalayas reaches the peak of sublimity as the visual tour is accompanied by some of the most melodious songs rendered by Mohit Chauhan and Pavithra Chari which strike the heart strings of even those who are unfamiliar with the Pahari dialect. The movie provides a perfect audio-visual setting for a beautiful confluence of the emotional journeys of a daughter, a mother and an orphaned boy as the sun sets on their lives and dusk sets in. Saanjh was the first film in Himachali dialect to be released in cinema halls across India.

Googly, a carefree young woman and her lover, Shorya, take a romantic trip to Dharamshala. At the airport they are received by their tour-guide, Ranga, who appears to be somewhat disturbed upon hearing Googly’s name. An incomprehensible sadness betrays Ranga’s cool demeanor. Googly is awestruck by the beauty of sunset amidst the snow-capped mountains and is inspired to go hiking. Shorya, though initially reluctant, finally yields. They set out on their trek and the appalling beauty of the mountains overwhelms them. In a moment of romantic fervour, Shorya slips and falls off the cliff and gets stuck on a crest at the edge of a steep fall. Hereafter, the movie follows Googly and Ranga on their individual rescue missions-- Googly’s to save Shorya and Ranga’s to find Googly. And amidst all this, flitting on and off the screen, is a ghastly figure in the cave whom Shorya dismisses as a figment of his own imagination