Suri and Eisha Chopra share a laugh behind the scenes

The 20-minute short plays out in the outskirts of Bengaluru, where Riya goes to interview Eddy, who provides cuddle therapy. Convinced it's a fun way to make money, she probes the former media mogul about the legal implications and his wife's knowledge about his profession. Yet, she agrees to try out the therapy, only to break down and reveal scars of a traumatic past. And Eddy? While he's always up for a hug, we get a glimpse of why he's learnt to value human touch.

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Layered with themes of emotional intimacy, affection, communication, love and loss, the film is more than just about the power of a hug. "Having experienced a void, Eddy understands the value of what matters the most — being in the present and expressing feelings for our loved ones," Suri elaborates, revealing that acceptance, surrendering and letting go are weaved into Eddy's character, and the life of any person like him.

Sanjeev Vig

Shot in soothing shades of greens, whites and blues, the film is like a warm hug in itself, and lends to the initial tension and the reconciliation between Riya and Eddy. "Chopra and Suri met directly on the set. They didn't rehearse beforehand, and that's possibly why their chemistry is so organic," Vig shares.

When we ask the duo if they met a professional cuddler, Vig quips, "It's him [Suri]! When I was discussing the script with him and hearing his advice, I realised I have found the real cuddler."

The warm, smiling and patient Eddy has thus found many takers, we're told, with people ringing up Vig to book appointments. Recollecting one particular instance, Suri tells us there was a girl who watched the film while waiting for her relative who was in the ICU, and messaged him. Vig adds that students across India have been starting Eddy therapy groups. "A hug has the energy to calm you down. It is your hi and it's also your bye. When you see a film or read a book, something changes inside you. That has happened with this short film, and we hope people don't forget it soon," the actor signs off.

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