The driving force

Pratiksha Das agreed to be a part of the film in August 2019

Mass media graduates, Uday Kotecha and Krunal Acharya, took nine months to complete the shoot of their latest project, BEST ONE. This 15 minute-long documentary celebrates the journey of a 25-year-old woman, who is Mumbai's first female bus driver. "Pratiksha Das was a junior in college. We weren't really friends, but had added each other on Facebook. Around last year, I was looking for a real story to tell through my documentary project. I came across a news article on Pratiksha, and how she was making waves in a male-dominated job. I had found my protagonist," remembers Acharya, 27.

Released on YouTube two weeks ago, BEST ONE lauds the mechanical engineer and motorcycle enthusiast, for breaking stereotypes. "In this film, she beautifully and casually leaves us with an important lesson. If you want to do something in life, just go and do it. She wanted to drive a bus and she did it! It's as simple or as complicated as that. She faced rejections for two years from the department, but kept trying. As they say, the universe falls in love with a stubborn heart," Acharya, the film's director, adds.

Krunal Acharya and Uday Kotecha

This self-funded project was shot during the monsoon last year. "It was pouring. The other challenge was that while she had cleared the placement, she wasn't yet on duty, so filming her on the driver's seat was tough and this can be seen in most shots in the film. Nonetheless, we managed some lovely shots of her," Kotecha, 28, recalls.

Watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2tmbWZodSQ

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news