Do you miss that childhood friend who could turn mundane into magic? Longtime friends and creative confidants Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap have officially joined hands to present Bobby Beauty Parlour—a delicate, funny, and deeply moving short film that captures the fragile grace of growing up and the quiet grief of leaving it behind.
Directed by Shashwat Dwivedi, the coming-of-age drama follows childhood best friends Eelu and Manu. On their final afternoon together, the pair finds themselves trapped inside a neighborhood beauty parlor—drinking, napping, bickering, and desperately holding on to a time that is fast slipping away.
The film is set to premiere on August 6 midnight during the Friendship Week exclusively on the Oh Short Flips YouTube channel, backed by producer Ranjan Singh and curated by Kashyap.
Beyond the story on screen, Bobby Beauty Parlour is a celebration of real-world camaraderie spanning decades. While Ali and Kashyap’s friendship dates back to their formative university days in Delhi, this marks a rare, heartfelt creative alignment between the two celebrated auteurs.
Reflecting on the short’s tender nostalgia, Imtiaz Ali shared, “The most spectacular moments of life don’t scream, but remain a part of our character forever. It is such moments that make Bobby Beauty Parlour charming. The film got me remembering my own small hometown, my adolescent decisions and friends that I always carried with me.”
Produced by Janhavi Asthana (who also serves as the film’s co-writer and cinematographer), Ranjan Singh, and Kashyap, the short stars Adrija Sinha, Parul Rana, Saksham Raj, and Preeti Kochar.
Kashyap, who started curating for the YouTube channel with Incognito last month, said Bobby Beauty Parlour is a “simple story, simply told.”
The filmmaker added, “About friendship, aspirations and growing up. And the best part is the producer Janhavi is also the co-writer and shot the film .The director Shashwat, is someone that started out with me whose growth has been so much and feels so personal.”
Producer Ranjan Singh, whose own brotherhood and creative partnership with Kashyap spans over three decades, added, “Bobby Beauty Parlour is an acclaimed short which has travelled to many festivals across the world. Essentially a heart-warming story about friends, life and its realities, it fits perfectly for a friendship week release.”
Director Shashwat Dwivedi describes the short as an attempt to turn the lens toward something fragile that often gets overlooked—childhood.
“Bobby Beauty Parlour has been an amazing experience for me, especially because of the people involved it in. I’m glad the film is releasing on YouTube, given I’ve learnt so much of my filmmaking through the platform, it feels good to give something back for a change. It’s also tough to believe that two of my favourite film makers are presenting the film, both of whom have had a great impact on my life. I really hope it reaches a wide audience and people start missing their friends after watching it,” he added.
