Sanjay Suri Plays A Professional Cuddler In The Short Film ‘Call Him Eddy’

Jyothi Venkatesh

Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films’ “Call him Eddy” brings forth the idea of hiring warmth for company, a concept that doesn’t have a lot of takers in India. The film, directed by Sanjeev Vig and produced by Savera Films, delves into the life of Eddy, played by Sanjay Suri, whose 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 equivalent to 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, a documentary film maker who 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.

Talking about the script and his character, Sanjay Suri said, "At a time when virtual world has deeply impacted human relationships and 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. I am fortunate that I got to play Eddy.”  He added, “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 is 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!”

Speaking on the occasion, 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 when they felt comforted by a hug, their pets, pillows or even stuffed toys. The campaign underlines the magic of human touch, warm hugs and a little bit of kindness for when one is feeling low. Previously, Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films has also featured the director Sanjeev Vig’s acclaimed short film Rogan Josh, starring Naseeruddin Shah in the lead, that won the Filmfare Award for Best Short Film in 2019.

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 a 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. Through its powerful content, the platform has successfully built a loyal community of short film movie buffs.

WATCH CALL HIM EDDYHERE