A film based on professional cuddling, ‘Call Him Eddy’
Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films is one of the most influential and celebrated platforms for short films in India. Since its inception the platform has released some of the most prodigious and award winning short films with renowned artists and directors from the industry which truly reflect originality and creativity. With slew of powerful films, Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films is the perfect stage that provides a canvas for directors and actors to tell compelling stories within 15-20 minutes. Their latest offering is, India’s first film based on professional cuddling, ‘Call Him Eddy’.
Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films’ “Call him Eddy” brings forth the idea of hiring warmth for company. The film, directed by Sanjeev Vig, Produced by Savera Films. The film delves into the life of Eddy, played by Sanjay Suri, who’s platonic comfort is a bundle of joy for people seeking it, but is often viewed with suspicion by those mistrustful of his intentions. Professional cuddling as a service, which is as simple as ordering a warm cup of latte for many, is still a rare profession and service in many parts of the world.
Riya, played by Eisha Chopra, is a documentary film maker is also doubtful that what Eddy does is anything but a stress buster and decides to visit him. It is this staged encounter that unfolds a seemingly odd profession for the viewers and what goes in the mind of a man who is as easily misunderstood as his is understanding of people’s emotions.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Suri said, “At a time when virtual world impacted human relationships & communication, a script like “Call Him Eddy” was offered to me. For me it was, “love at first read”. I remember telling the director that this film must be made with or without me. Am fortunate that I got to play Eddy. “A hug does more than what many words can do”. I think during such trying times when people could not even see their loved ones, losing them forever, it’s a huge price to pay only to realize how important a comforting touch can be. Call him Eddy brings out an emotion that emoticons cannot justify.”
Talking about the experience, Eisha Chopra said, “I’ve always felt human touch was one of the most basic needs for a person to thrive, and to even just survive. Even the small moment of affection can heal and release years of baggage. So when Sanjeev offered me this role, I didn’t even need to read the script because it reflected everything that I believed in. And strangely, this year we’ve all had to experience this in a way that we’d never had imagined.”
The cast and crew of the film recently took to their social media profiles with a unique campaign called #WhosYourEddy asking their friends and followers to share pictures of moments where they felt comforted by other people, pets, pillows or even stuffed toys, The campaign is underlines the magic of human touch, warm hugs and a little bit of kindness for when one is feeling low.