Dheeraj Jindal's short film Momo Deal is all about friendships and farewells

Acclaimed filmmaker Dheeraj Jindal, known for his evocative storytelling across genres besides his recent directorial success Indian Predator-The Diary of a Serial Killer, on Netflix, revealed his latest short film, Momo Deal. The project, already making waves on the international festival circuit, was Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts.

What is special about Momo Deal?

Just as it was meant to, blending friendship, farewells, and a dash of humour, Momo Deal got premiered at the perfect time, around friendship day. The film sees actors Akashdeep Arora and Anushka Kaushik playing the lead characters.

Dheeraj Jindal's short film Momo Deal tells the moving story of Naman, a reserved young man grappling with the sudden loss of his best friend, Mahima. In an unexpected twist, Naman finds himself spending one unforgettable night wandering the colourful streets of Jaipur with Mahima’s ghost honouring her final wish and sharing a plate of momos. What follows is a fun journey through loss, friendship, and the importance of sharing our feelings before it is too late.

“This film touches on a raw nerve of friendship,” says Dheeraj. “It is a fresh, light-hearted take on an otherwise grim subject. I wanted to explore how we process loss and how far we are willing to go for the people we love, even after they are gone.”

The short film has already been recognised at several prestigious festivals around the world. It was officially selected at the Garofano Rosso Film Festival in Italy, Accra Indie Filmfest in Ghana, the DC South Asian Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) Toronto. It also brought home major accolades, including Best Director at the Karnataka Youth International Short Film Festival and the Golden Elephant Award at the Ooty Short Film Festival.

This release marks Dheeraj’s return to short films after the success of directing a season of Indian Predator, reinforcing his commitment to storytelling in all forms.

Dheeraj’s reputation in the short film space is formidable. His debut, The School Bag, starring Rasika Dugal was a global success screened at 106 international festivals across 24 countries, winning 44 awards including multiple Best Director honours. Since then, he has continued to craft compelling shorts like Baj Gai Seeti (featuring Gulshan Grover), Vikalp (starring Neha Sharma), and PAASH (with Abhishek Banerjee), the latter of which qualified for Oscar consideration.

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