Priyankar Patra is a writer, producer, and director with For Films, the independent Indian production company founded by filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta. His previous credits include producing “Once Upon A Time In Calcutta” (2021), directed by Sengupta and screened at the Venice International Film Festival, along with “The Daughter” (2022) by Soumyak Kanti De Biswas, which played at Palm Springs International ShortFest. He has also been involved in the UK India co-production “The Good Life” (2025) and “Moti” (2025), the latter screening at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia. “Early Days” marks his feature debut as director.
Set in contemporary Mumbai, “Early Days” follows Preeti and Samrat, a couple in their mid twenties who have just moved to the big city, full of dreams and deeply in love. Their story unfolds across three chapters, beginning as they settle into their modest flat. Preeti, a girl from the countryside, is determined to prove to everyone, including herself, that abandoning a conventional medical career was the right decision, while Samrat enjoys a steady job and is committed to supporting both her and his family.
Gradually, however, influencer culture enters their lives. What starts as a casual habit of posting short videos documenting their daily routines in Mumbai soon transforms into product placement and increasingly calculated content. Preeti renames their joint account PriSm and begins experimenting with influencing, seduced by the promise of quick money, validation, and visibility. Samrat follows her lead at first, though his participation is clearly reluctant. Before long, Preeti starts neglecting her actual job, much to Samrat’s frustration, while the appearance of an old acquaintance who has pursued a similar path with far greater success intensifies her obsession even further.
The first thing anyone who watches “Early Days” will notice is the grainy visual style, shot by Patra himself with a handheld camera, a choice that deliberately contrasts the polished aesthetics of influencer content with the roughness of everyday life. When the videos briefly shift into high definition, the difference becomes even more pronounced, strengthening the commentary on what is real and what is performative, an effect further enhanced by the excellent editing of Anupam Sinha Roy. At the same time, this approach makes the final section, which unfolds outdoors for once, particularly memorable, culminating in what is arguably the most technically impressive sequence of the work.
Beyond its visual strategies, the commentary on digital life and influencer culture is pointed and incisive. Patra presents this world, particularly through Preeti, as a form of addiction tied closely to escapism from reality. As jealousy enters the equation, her behavior deteriorates further, amplifying the emotional strain. Still, the disintegration of the relationship is not portrayed as one sided. Samrat is not without fault, and the gradual breakdown highlights communication as the central issue, with the downward spiral beginning precisely when meaningful dialogue disappears.
Given that much of the story unfolds indoors and focuses almost exclusively on the two protagonists, the performances carry considerable weight. In this regard, both actors excel, while their chemistry further strengthens the emotional impact. Manasi Kaushik delivers a convincing portrayal of Preeti’s descent, particularly in the way she begins to ignore everything around her and treats her partner more like a production assistant than a companion. Sarthak Sharma is equally effective in conveying Samrat’s growing sense of neglect and insecurity, although it is in their shared confrontations, especially during the final stretch, that both performances rise to an even higher level.
Some issues with the audio persist throughout, and the camera work, combined with the limited lighting, can occasionally feel exhausting. Nevertheless, taken as a whole, “Early Days” works remarkably well. Its observations are conveyed with clarity, the acting stands out as a key strength, and the stripped down approach firmly places it within the art house tradition. It is difficult not to wonder how Patra might evolve with a larger budget at his disposal.