‘Machhli Jal Ki’ Review: You Can Enter A World, But You Don’t Belong To It

Machhli Jal Ki, a short film written and directed by Swapnil Kotriwar, is a quiet, subtle observation and exploration of the invisible class divide, the weight of paternal guilt, and the fragility of status in a world increasingly shaped by the digital economy.

The 33.05-minute film builds its narrative around a single misplaced golden credit card, using it as a device to observe how access, morality, and identity shift across social boundaries.

The Story

The short film Machhli Jal Ki follows Dhamma, a car wiper working for a wealthy businessman, Saharsh. One day, when Dhamma asks for his monthly salary, Saharsh tells him to collect it the next day, leaving Dhamma visibly frustrated. When he is further asked to clean the car, his irritation deepens, and he reluctantly heads to the parking area.

While cleaning the car, Dhamma finds a golden credit card in the dashboard, quietly keeps it, and takes it home. On his way home, he stops at a departmental store.

Inside, the price tags and his lack of understanding of how to use a credit card make him uneasy. It seems he doesn’t understand how this system works. It’s enough to push him out of the store quickly- but not before he picks up a few basic things he needs for daily use.

At home, the card transforms into something larger than an object- it becomes a possibility. He shares it with his wife and children, imagining what it could offer them, from small comforts to long-suppressed desires.

There is a brief sense of excitement, but it is tempered by his wife’s caution. She questions the situation, grounding the moment in reality, and insists that the card be returned.

The following day brings an unexpected turn. Dhamma learns that Saharsh has died by suicide, with the film hinting at mounting financial pressure and relentless digital payment reminders as contributing factors.

With no one to return the card to, Dhamma makes a different choice and decides to use it. He takes his family to a high-end mall and buys them clothes, along with a few other things they have never really had the chance to afford before- small comforts, some indulgences, and items that go beyond their everyday needs.

What unfolds is not indulgence, but a controlled, uneasy experience. The family moves through a space they have only observed from a distance, momentarily accessing a world that does not entirely accept them. Even in moments of excitement, there is an underlying awareness that they do not belong.

The film closes without a dramatic resolution, leaving behind a quiet but persistent idea—access can be granted, but belonging cannot be assumed.

Performances

The film relies heavily on its performances, and they remain understated yet effective.

Soham Majumdar as Dhamma carries the emotional core with restraint. His performance avoids exaggeration, instead allowing internal conflict to surface through subtle expressions.

In the mall sequence, his face reflects a mix of pride and unease, capturing the complexity of his situation.

Prashansa Sharma as his wife provides a grounded counterbalance. Her caution is shaped by lived experience, and her silences carry as much weight as her words.

Ujjwal Chopra as Saharsh appears briefly but leaves a strong impression. His portrayal suggests a man whose outward stability conceals a deeper strain, setting the context for the film’s larger commentary.

Direction

Swapnil Kotriwar approaches the film with a measured and observational style. He avoids melodrama, allowing moments to unfold organically without forcing emotional cues.

The credit card serves as a clear but controlled symbol- it enables movement across spaces while carrying an inherent discomfort that is never overstated.

Kotriwar also establishes a distinct contrast between environments. Dhamma’s home feels lived-in and familiar, while the mall appears structured, distant, and quietly imposing. This contrast is not highlighted through dialogue but through how characters move and respond within these spaces.

Themes And Subtext

The film’s strength lies in its ability to communicate ideas through observation rather than direct explanation.

At its core, Machhli Jal Ki examines class as a lived experience rather than a purely economic condition.

The narrative suggests that financial access alone cannot dissolve the deeper awareness of where one stands within a social structure.

Even when barriers appear to be removed, the internal and external markers of class continue to persist.

Closely tied to this is the idea of access versus belonging. The mall becomes a central space where this distinction plays out.

Dhamma and his family are not denied entry, yet their presence is marked by subtle forms of distance- through glances, behaviour, and their own self-awareness.

Machhli Jal Ki focuses on this quiet exclusion, where spaces remain technically open but emotionally restrictive.

The digital economy forms another important layer. The credit card represents a system where financial power is abstracted and detached from physical money.

For Dhamma, it offers a temporary shift in position. For Saharsh, the same system becomes a source of pressure and collapse.

The film does not treat this system as inherently liberating or oppressive, but rather as something whose meaning shifts depending on one’s place within it.

There is also a subtle exploration of identity as something fluid. Within the mall, Dhamma and his family begin to adjust their behaviour- how they walk, speak, and interact. This shift is not imposed externally but emerges from an awareness of being observed, suggesting that identity is often shaped by environment.

The film’s background score remains soothing throughout and blends seamlessly with its mood. It never tries to dominate a scene or force an emotional response. Instead, it quietly supports what is already unfolding, allowing the silences and performances to take centre stage.

At key moments, it gently carries the narrative forward, adding depth without drawing attention to itself.

The title Machhli Jal Ki reinforces this idea of belonging. It suggests that individuals are tied to certain environments, and displacement- whether economic or psychological- creates discomfort.

Saharsh and Dhamma, despite being at opposite ends of the spectrum, both experience this displacement in different ways.

The film also introduces a moral ambiguity through Dhamma’s decision. His initial hesitation establishes a clear ethical position, but circumstances alter that clarity. The choice to use the card is not framed as right or wrong, but as a response shaped by situation and opportunity.

Importantly, the film avoids offering resolution. The structures it observes remain unchanged, reinforcing the persistence of these divides.

Does The Director Succeed?

For the most part, yes.

Swapnil Kotriwar maintains control over tone and avoids turning the narrative into something overly sentimental or exploitative. He treats his characters with dignity and allows the film’s ideas to emerge naturally through behaviour and environment rather than explicit commentary.

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Key Moments

The opening title sequence sets a restrained tone, preparing the viewer for a grounded narrative.

Saharsh’s brief interaction with his daughter adds a human layer to his character, making his later fate more affecting without overemphasis.

The moment Dhamma brings the credit card home marks a clear emotional shift. It introduces both possibility and conflict, reflected in the contrast between the children’s excitement and the wife’s hesitation.

The mall sequence forms the emotional and thematic centre of the film. The family’s movement through the space, their interactions, and their awareness of being watched all contribute to a sustained sense of unease. The environment itself begins to shape their behaviour, reinforcing the film’s central ideas.

The closing note ties the narrative together without explicit resolution, leaving behind a lingering sense of discomfort.

Final Verdict

Machhli Jal Ki is effective because of its restraint. It does not push its message or seek dramatic closure; instead, it allows its ideas to emerge through observation and atmosphere.

It presents a simple premise but uses it to reflect on deeper social and psychological realities.

Swapnil Kotriwar, an actor par excellence, demonstrates a clear understanding of the world he is portraying and the characters within it. This clarity is reflected in the film’s controlled and measured treatment.

I would rate this Kotriwar film 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Watch the short here.

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