Lucknow Writer Ghazal Javed’s ‘Detective Meter Down’ Wins Best Short Film Award In Germany

Lucknow writer Ghazal Javed’s debut short film ‘Detective Meter Down’ has won the Best Short Film award at the 23rd Indian Film Festival Stuttgart in Germany. The film received the German Star of India award in the short film category, bringing international recognition to the young filmmaker.

Directed by Devansh Agarwal, the 30-minute film tells the story of Rajesh Yadav, an autorickshaw driver from Bihar who moves to Mumbai with a dream of becoming a detective. The film blends comedy and emotions while showing the hopes and struggles of migrants who come to Mumbai to build a better life.

Javed said the idea behind the film was to show migrants in a different way. Instead of only showing their problems, the film presents them as people with dreams, courage and their own stories.

“Every migrant has a story,” Javed said, adding that Mumbai’s autorickshaw drivers inspired the team to explore the lives of people who leave their hometowns in search of opportunities.

The film features Shashi Bhushan and Niiya and was produced by Golden Jackal Studios. The team includes Rachita Singh as editor, Debarpito Saha for music, Mandar Kulkarni for sound and Debojeet Ray as cinematographer.

For Javed, the award is a special achievement as ‘Detective Meter Down’ marks her first short film as a writer. She is also the granddaughter of Lucknow-based writer and freedom fighter Shakeel Siddiqui.

For director Devansh Agarwal, the win adds another milestone to his career. He has previously worked on projects such as Netflix’s Khufiya, SonyLIV’s Charlie Chopra & the Mystery of Solang Valley and Amazon Prime Video’s Modern Love: Mumbai.

The Indian Film Festival Stuttgart has been held every year since 2004 and is one of Europe’s biggest platforms for Indian cinema. The festival showcases Bollywood films, regional cinema, documentaries and short films from across India.