Akhil wanders the streets and railways of Mumbai polishing shoes for a living. A chance encounter with India’s most popular television chef adds fire to his dreams of becoming a gourmet chef. ‘The Masterchef’ creates discomfort  as it places gravelly visuals from the street directly across the vivid colors of food on TV. However, what stands out is Akhil’s gleaming hope layered into the film’s narrative.

The 8-minute long film was made by Indian film director Ritesh Batra as part of the Sundance Short Film Challenge, and was screened at the Sundance Film Festival co-hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Batra has also directed acclaimed feature film ‘The Lunchbox’.

“The Masterchef” a short film by Ritesh Batra from Sundance Institute on Vimeo.