One of the details that caught viewers’ attention in ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ was the short film Joel was making. Well, it is no longer just part of the movie. ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’ has now been released as an actual short film.

What was introduced in the Nivin Pauly-starrer as a short film being made by Joel Davis, played by Sangeeth Prathap, has now been released for viewers to watch in full. The short film is available on the Bhavana Studios YouTube channel.

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In ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, Joel is Justin Davis’ younger brother and an aspiring filmmaker. Much of his enthusiasm revolves around making ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’, with the project becoming one of the little details that adds to the film’s world.

The short film was presented as Joel’s own creative project, with his girlfriend Sayoojya involved in it. In the film’s fictional universe, Joel describes it as the emotional story of a woman who takes medication for depression.

The makers have recreated the project outside the world of ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, retaining the names of its fictional filmmakers and giving viewers the chance to watch the finished short.

Who made ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’?

The short is presented by Moreli Pictures. Joel Davis is credited with the story, concept and direction, while Justin Davis is credited as the producer. Brinto Mundaparambil serves as co-producer.

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The cast includes Nandan Venkitangu, Sayoojya, Abhijith, Justin, Akash Joseph, Glixon, Shelwin, Riya and Joel. Interestingly, the names are presented in a way that continues the playful connection with the characters and filmmaking world established in ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’.

Rohith Moreli has handled the camera and editing, while Albin Angamaly has composed the music. Vishnu Sadhasivan is the chief associate director, with Josewin Mookkannor handling sound design and final mixing. Stephen John of Boom Studios is credited as the sound recordist.

One of the reasons the short film became an amusing talking point after ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ was that viewers were shown only glimpses of Joel’s filmmaking process. The film within the film became part of his character, rather than simply being another prop in the story.

That left an obvious question hanging in the air: What would Joel’s film actually look like?

The decision to release ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’ answers that question in a rather unusual way. Instead of leaving the fictional short as an inside joke, the team has turned it into a standalone piece that audiences can watch outside the theatrical film.

The response online suggests that this was exactly the sort of small detail viewers wanted to see more of. The short film also appears to be catching on quickly. Within just 40 minutes of its release on YouTube, ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’ had crossed 80k views.

Also Read: 'Bethlehem Kudumba Unit' movie review: Nivin Pauly finds his ‘Premam’ charm in a gentle romance 

‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, directed by Girish AD, stars Nivin Pauly, Mamitha Baiju and Sangeeth Prathap among others. The film revolves around the people and relationships within a close-knit community, with Joel's filmmaking ambitions forming one of the many smaller stories running alongside the main plot.

For everyone who watched Joel passionately talk about his film in ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ watch ‘Soulmates, Oru Saathukudi Pranayam’ on the Bhavana Studios YouTube channel. The short was announced for release at 10.30 am on August 30