Heartbeat (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Heartbeat, also known as Dhak Dhuk, is an eight-minute Hindi animated short set in Mumbai’s Bhavani Nagar slum. It follows domestic worker Vimal and her daughter Sonali as they navigate education, ambition, work and the expectations surrounding Sonali’s future.

Heartbeat, originally titled Dhak Dhuk, is a 2026 animated short from India directed by Eisha Nair. With a runtime of eight minutes, the film centers on a mother and daughter whose lives are shaped by work, education and competing hopes for the future.

Set in Mumbai’s Bhavani Nagar slum, the story focuses on domestic worker Vimal and Sonali, who has been diagnosed as a “slow learner.” Their relationship provides the film’s emotional center as they reflect on ambition, opportunity and what education can mean within a family.

Heartbeat movie details

Story without spoilers

The film follows Vimal, a domestic worker who never attended school, and her daughter Sonali. Vimal hopes Sonali will obtain an office job, but that expectation is complicated by Sonali’s diagnosis as a “slow learner.” Against the backdrop of Bhavani Nagar, mother and daughter consider their experiences with work and learning while trying to understand one another.

The story is grounded in their bond rather than a broad ensemble of characters. Its short format keeps the focus on the personal and practical questions raised by Vimal’s hopes for Sonali and Sonali’s own place within those expectations.

What to expect

As an animated drama with an eight-minute runtime, Heartbeat is a compact character-focused film rather than a long-form narrative. Its premise points to a story concerned with education, ambition, work and the relationship between a mother and daughter.

The Mumbai setting and the characters’ circumstances provide the social context, while the film’s central tension comes from the gap between Vimal’s hopes and Sonali’s experience as a “slow learner.” The supplied information does not indicate a larger cast or additional plot strands.

Cast and creative team

Heartbeat is directed by Eisha Nair. No cast members or writers are listed in the supplied information.

Release and production context

Heartbeat was released on October 29, 2026. It is an eight-minute animated film from India, spoken in Hindi. Its original title is Dhak Dhuk, and its listed status is Released.

Movies Dock view

Heartbeat presents a concise story about a mother, a daughter and the different ways education can shape expectations. With its focused premise and brief runtime, it offers a personal perspective on ambition, learning and family responsibility without needing a large-scale setup.

Film data:
TMDB