I am at a loss of words after watching this one which is more than a film, it is an experience therefore, the only words in which this masterpiece can be described are adjectives-mind blowing, shocking, great in narrative and style, simple and subtle, poignant, brilliant exposition. Here is finally a movie, that shocks you, surprises you, questions you, slaps you, make you cry, shows you a mirror-to sum up evoke strong responses. The film finally succeeds in speaking a universal language. Here No sides are taken but just roots you to the middle of the premise. It touched the epic proportions of earlier masterpieces Garam Hawa and Tamas, based on partition issues. Though an influence of Iranian new wave cinema is seen on film maker sabiha sumer yet it is an original piece. A superior product, a touching tale, a classic world cinema, indeed.. "Jinhe naaz hai Black par wo kahan hain".
28 Reviews
Simple and subtle, haunting and poignant
Peter_Young4 April 2010
This amazing picture is undoubtedly a statement on the never-ending religious war that has become a sad but integral part of history. Terrible to see how people are not allowed to live their life in peace, so much that some of them are forced to change their primary identity in order to survive. This story takes place in 1979 in the village of Charkhi, Pakistani Punjab, where middle-aged widow Ayesha lives a poor lifestyle with her 18-year-old son Saleem. She makes a living from her late husband's pension and by teaching the Quran to young girls. Her son Saleem is a handsome, simple and likable guy who is in love with a young girl named Zubeida. But soon starts the trouble, when Saleem suddenly gets involved with a group of Islamists. He breaks up from Zubeidaa, and Ayesha is frightened to see her son turning into an extremist, as this brings her past back and reminds her of a secret which has haunted her for years, a secret of which even Saleem is unaware. Painful flashbacks to the violent Partition hint, with a woman standing on the well's edge, are heartbreaking. One brave woman chose to live, but now circumstances take her back to this very damned well, to complete the uncompleted.
Khamosh Pani is a film evidently made with passion and sincerity. It is brilliantly directed and acted. The story is one of its kind, and the execution is superb. The dialogues are very well-written and the film is benefited by a wonderful background score. Sabiha Sumar skillfully captures the dim atmosphere of the Pakistani Punjab, and the quiet, sombre narrative style effectively symbolises the silent waters it deals with. The power of this film seems to come not only from the realistic way in which it was depicted and the honesty with which its issue was handled, but equally from the roundly excellent acting. Sumar's cast, which consists mainly of Indian actors, is led by one of the finest actresses in India, Kirron Kher. Kher is outstanding as the struggling, strong and tormented Ayesha, and infuses her role with depth and pathos very few actresses would be able to. Aamir Malik is convincing as Saleem, and his character's transformation from a carefree romantic fool to a decisive Islamist is well done. Shilpa Shukla is lovely as Zubeidaa but she mostly shines in the film's last scene.
To sum it up, Khamosh Pani is one exceptional piece of art. The many ironies it conveys are horrifying but simple. The film's last few sequences are deeply moving and touching. One scene (you will know what I am talking about) is really poignant. I highly recommend you to see this film.
Khamosh Pani is a film evidently made with passion and sincerity. It is brilliantly directed and acted. The story is one of its kind, and the execution is superb. The dialogues are very well-written and the film is benefited by a wonderful background score. Sabiha Sumar skillfully captures the dim atmosphere of the Pakistani Punjab, and the quiet, sombre narrative style effectively symbolises the silent waters it deals with. The power of this film seems to come not only from the realistic way in which it was depicted and the honesty with which its issue was handled, but equally from the roundly excellent acting. Sumar's cast, which consists mainly of Indian actors, is led by one of the finest actresses in India, Kirron Kher. Kher is outstanding as the struggling, strong and tormented Ayesha, and infuses her role with depth and pathos very few actresses would be able to. Aamir Malik is convincing as Saleem, and his character's transformation from a carefree romantic fool to a decisive Islamist is well done. Shilpa Shukla is lovely as Zubeidaa but she mostly shines in the film's last scene.
To sum it up, Khamosh Pani is one exceptional piece of art. The many ironies it conveys are horrifying but simple. The film's last few sequences are deeply moving and touching. One scene (you will know what I am talking about) is really poignant. I highly recommend you to see this film.
A film, subtle and noble
mistercharisma8 December 2004
Nothing prepares you for the subtlety and searing honesty of this film. There is something ennobling about watching it. The director gives us vignettes of life in Pakistan, circa 1980 and 1999, and paints the portrait of a country in the grip of a ruinous Islamization. General Zia-ul-Haq took the country backward by several years through his repressive policies and Sabiha Sumar shows us glimpse of what he did to the country.
In a film so subtly wrought, it is unusual to be struck particularly by acting performances but for Shilpa Shukla is a revelation. It is a splendidly understated performance and I must say her sensuality stirred me too.
In a film so subtly wrought, it is unusual to be struck particularly by acting performances but for Shilpa Shukla is a revelation. It is a splendidly understated performance and I must say her sensuality stirred me too.
South Asian filmmakers are maturing
mishu_mausam18 September 2004
Every now and then you are suddenly hit by a movie that leaves an impression on you. This movie has the potential for the same.
If I ever to describe the movie in one word - that would be "moving". It indeed moved me. After the movie my only response was silence. I just didn't know how to react. It was an experience - though a very real one. It was as if you are witness to the events and you feel so frustrated that there is nothing you can do about it.
I could write about the story of the movie, however a part of the fun in the movie is the way the story unfolds itself. So I better keep mum on that. I would just mention that the story is set in Rawalpindi area of Pakistan and its the story about a mother and a son living there. Though its not a social statement, it touches upon the issues of religion, partition, coexistence, terrorism besides being an emotional and philosophical drama.
On the movie making, I think its a brilliantly written script. A dialogue that I still remember from the film is when the mother says - "If the son is not mine then who in the world is." It is a painful acceptance of the solitude and the loneliness of each and everyone of us.
The acting is almost perfect. In fact it seems that there are no actors in the movie. Its as if real people are living those lives. I wonder how the director found such actors. Kiron Kher, in her central role as the mother, has outperformed herself. Her silence is so expressive, that she doesn't need any dialogues.
On the whole I think the movie deserves great credit. I am terribly disappointed at the (current) 6.8 rating at IMDb. I realize that its a non-populist movie but I would have felt that anybody who ended up seeing the movie would be affected by it. As for me, I give it a perfect 10.
If I ever to describe the movie in one word - that would be "moving". It indeed moved me. After the movie my only response was silence. I just didn't know how to react. It was an experience - though a very real one. It was as if you are witness to the events and you feel so frustrated that there is nothing you can do about it.
I could write about the story of the movie, however a part of the fun in the movie is the way the story unfolds itself. So I better keep mum on that. I would just mention that the story is set in Rawalpindi area of Pakistan and its the story about a mother and a son living there. Though its not a social statement, it touches upon the issues of religion, partition, coexistence, terrorism besides being an emotional and philosophical drama.
On the movie making, I think its a brilliantly written script. A dialogue that I still remember from the film is when the mother says - "If the son is not mine then who in the world is." It is a painful acceptance of the solitude and the loneliness of each and everyone of us.
The acting is almost perfect. In fact it seems that there are no actors in the movie. Its as if real people are living those lives. I wonder how the director found such actors. Kiron Kher, in her central role as the mother, has outperformed herself. Her silence is so expressive, that she doesn't need any dialogues.
On the whole I think the movie deserves great credit. I am terribly disappointed at the (current) 6.8 rating at IMDb. I realize that its a non-populist movie but I would have felt that anybody who ended up seeing the movie would be affected by it. As for me, I give it a perfect 10.
Hauntingly Real
rohanphsyco16 February 2005
Perhaps the first south Asian film that has had such a lasting impression on me, Khamosh Pani has hardly received the glory it truly deserves. Watching the film leaves you senseless for about half an hour and then it knocks all the wind out of you.
Khamosh Pani takes the viewer to a small village in Pakistan where life evolves. Specifically it focuses on Ayesha and her son Saleem and their relationship. Ayesha never goes to the village well to draw water while Saleem gets seduced by Islamic fundamentalists and transforms from a love sick puppy to the man he thinks he wants to be.
Sabiha Sumar, perhaps one of the best directors in the subcontinent, tells us the story of a small village in Pakistan. With perhaps one of the most powerful issues to deal with, Sumar displays true genius by making everything seem so subtle and hauntingly real. Perhaps, the greatest strength lies in convincing the audience that the statement need not be made in black and white and in this respect Sumar shines.
To say that the acting performances were excellent would be the understatement of the century. One watches in amazement at how real and authentic each character is. The mind knows that what it sees are actors and yet it refuses to believe what it knows. Every single character, from an extra to the leads adds to the tremendous energy that the film brings with it. Kirron Kher as Ayesha/Veero is stunning, so much so that one cannot imagine her as anyone else. Aamir Ali Malik is another actor who plays with the audience, seducing them and disturbing them through the course of the film As an Indian separated from the partition by two generations I can't really say that I feel the pain that my mother does when she sees a film such as this, I have heard stories of my grand aunt who was attacked and mutilated by a mob in Lahore when my mothers family had to leave for India. Perhaps my lack of sentimental attachment makes me see it a little more objectively. Khamosh Pani has exposed me to some of this pain and while it may not be my own I can feel it. But the question that arose in my mind is that those that were around when this bloodshed (on both sides) occurred have mostly died or are dying, will we succeeding generations ever know this pain? The pain of leaving behind a wife, killing your own daughter, leaving her to be raped, Living in another country when that which was once a part of you lives somewhere else. How can I fight for this when I don't know what its like? Khamosh Pani made me feel this pain for a few days; perhaps we need more reminders such as these so that we can experience the pain to forget.
Khamosh Pani takes the viewer to a small village in Pakistan where life evolves. Specifically it focuses on Ayesha and her son Saleem and their relationship. Ayesha never goes to the village well to draw water while Saleem gets seduced by Islamic fundamentalists and transforms from a love sick puppy to the man he thinks he wants to be.
Sabiha Sumar, perhaps one of the best directors in the subcontinent, tells us the story of a small village in Pakistan. With perhaps one of the most powerful issues to deal with, Sumar displays true genius by making everything seem so subtle and hauntingly real. Perhaps, the greatest strength lies in convincing the audience that the statement need not be made in black and white and in this respect Sumar shines.
To say that the acting performances were excellent would be the understatement of the century. One watches in amazement at how real and authentic each character is. The mind knows that what it sees are actors and yet it refuses to believe what it knows. Every single character, from an extra to the leads adds to the tremendous energy that the film brings with it. Kirron Kher as Ayesha/Veero is stunning, so much so that one cannot imagine her as anyone else. Aamir Ali Malik is another actor who plays with the audience, seducing them and disturbing them through the course of the film As an Indian separated from the partition by two generations I can't really say that I feel the pain that my mother does when she sees a film such as this, I have heard stories of my grand aunt who was attacked and mutilated by a mob in Lahore when my mothers family had to leave for India. Perhaps my lack of sentimental attachment makes me see it a little more objectively. Khamosh Pani has exposed me to some of this pain and while it may not be my own I can feel it. But the question that arose in my mind is that those that were around when this bloodshed (on both sides) occurred have mostly died or are dying, will we succeeding generations ever know this pain? The pain of leaving behind a wife, killing your own daughter, leaving her to be raped, Living in another country when that which was once a part of you lives somewhere else. How can I fight for this when I don't know what its like? Khamosh Pani made me feel this pain for a few days; perhaps we need more reminders such as these so that we can experience the pain to forget.
A crucible brimming over with the reality of Pakistani existence
libertarias16 November 2004
Khamosh Pani will go down in Pakistani history as the most important work of art and politic since the country's inception. The story documents the era (1979) of the CIA-assisted killing of the democratically elected prime minister Bhutto and the installation of fundamentalist dictator General Zia ul-Haq. The film chronicles the death of love and the birth of hate as part of a continuing cycle of violence that has besieged that part of the world. Religious intolerance, bigotry and ignorance are the fierce villains of the movie. The film has managed to humanize the tragedy of the Pakistani people's struggle with fanaticism and imported agendas. What I particularly love about this film, besides the fact that it is technically remarkable, is the fact that it does not glorify death or killing. This is not a Bollywood or Lollywood melodrama. Beautiful punjabi language script adds to the authenticity of this true-to-life cinema representation of the people of the land. This film is brave to acknowledge the atrocities of displacement; of the violence against Sikhs and against women that was part of the partition of India and Pakistan. Well acted, well written and extremely well directed. Bravo!
Very powerfully sad movie...
cadadmail13 November 2005
Actually I'd like to say it's a 2 out of 10 but for how upset I am a 7 about covers it. As soon as I saw the two strangers arrive in town I knew this movie was trouble for me. Then watching them work on the weak - I left the theater twice to talk to the presenter, asking if the story would turn around for the better side of humanity, well returning and watching the whole story - Sorry to spoil the end - I am so deeply sad...
This is a powerful movie what shows the wicked prey on the weak, a community leaderless and indifferent to protect itself, and a family torn apart.
Not entertainment for me, just a story of the wicked wining another battle - hopefully not the war.
This is a powerful movie what shows the wicked prey on the weak, a community leaderless and indifferent to protect itself, and a family torn apart.
Not entertainment for me, just a story of the wicked wining another battle - hopefully not the war.
Outstanding movie
kdlambent13 December 2004
This is an outstanding movie, illustrating life in rural Punjab in Pakistan and how the ugly scepter of religious fundamentalism raises its head and disrupts the peaceful flow of village life under General Zia. At the every end, it refers to the current version of an old story under yet another General, Musharaf.
The central story is about Ayesha, a Sikh girl abducted and left behind during the Partition, who has made a new life for herself in Pakistan, being forced to take on a new identity, marrying one of her abductors, and raising a son she dotes upon. The return of her long lost brother as a pilgrim and the taking over of the village by fanatics ends up destroying the life she had created. Kirron Kher in the lead role is very good and all the actors do a great job.
My only concern is that viewers without a close understanding of the India Pakistan Partition may miss out some of the subtleties. That however did not stop the judges at a European film festival from awarding the best actress prize to Kirron Kher.
The central story is about Ayesha, a Sikh girl abducted and left behind during the Partition, who has made a new life for herself in Pakistan, being forced to take on a new identity, marrying one of her abductors, and raising a son she dotes upon. The return of her long lost brother as a pilgrim and the taking over of the village by fanatics ends up destroying the life she had created. Kirron Kher in the lead role is very good and all the actors do a great job.
My only concern is that viewers without a close understanding of the India Pakistan Partition may miss out some of the subtleties. That however did not stop the judges at a European film festival from awarding the best actress prize to Kirron Kher.
All We Learn Is That We Do Not Learn
boblipton17 November 2020
In a small village in Pakistan in 1979, Kiron Ker watches as her son is recruited by Muslim fundamentalists. Sikhs are entering the area on pilgrimage, and their religion offends the locals. She thinks back to 1947, when British India was being split into Muslim and Hindu nations.
Do we ever learn from history? Sabiha Sumar's movie says we do not. I reluctantly agree. It's not just current events. I recall during the first Iraqi War, I was at a party, when some one announced The government would not lie to us!" I turned at him and snapped "And where were you during Viet Nam?" "I wasn't born yet."
Do we ever learn from history? Sabiha Sumar's movie says we do not. I reluctantly agree. It's not just current events. I recall during the first Iraqi War, I was at a party, when some one announced The government would not lie to us!" I turned at him and snapped "And where were you during Viet Nam?" "I wasn't born yet."
Excellent- Must Watch
simplyme19912 December 2004
There is a side to Pakistan most of us are blind to. At least visually.
Director Sabiha Sumar presents that side to us -- a desolate, barren Pakistan, a magnificent, sprawling wasteland worthy of a Sergio Leone classic. For someone used to the congested streets of an Indian metropolis, seeing this grand, hilly Pakistani village, full of whispered secrets and echoed threats holds a surreal poignancy.
In the Charkhi village of Punjab in Pakistan, life is quirky, quaint, and increasingly foreboding. The setting itself presents a paradox: there are fortresses available for youngsters to romantically rendezvous, but no place for a kafir (non-Muslim) to hide.
Khamosh Pani revolves around the life of a simple, middle-aged woman, Ayesha, played by Kirron Kher. She seems normal enough, a typical Pakistani lady, living the placid life of a widow, supporting her family by giving Quran lessons to neighbourhood children. As the film builds slowly into its plot, we begin to suspect the central protagonist is actually her wistful son, Saleem.
Saleem, played by Aamir Malik, looks exactly in the Jimmy Mistry (The Guru, East Is East) mold, just floppier, lazy, and intensely likable. With a boyish grin firmly in place, he is smitten with girl-next-door, the no-nonsense Zubeida, who's trying to goad him into getting a job.
As the two murmur besotted secrets to each other across the roofs of conveniently empty minarets, Saleem realises that Zubeidaa's dreams of going to college and fashioning her career and her own riches far outweigh his own. In fact, he doesn't have any dream at all, just shuffling through life listlessly. He needs a vocation, a higher cause to believe in.
At this crucial juncture in his youth, Charkhi's naïveté is shattered by the arrival of Islamic fundamentalists. We suddenly realize that the year is 1979, and we're told emotionally that Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has just been hanged.
There is ample scope for over-dramatisation, but the scene has been handled with wonderful restraint -- a postman stands by his bicycle, seemingly lost. When Ayesha repeatedly asks him what's wrong, he just shakes his head and shows her the paper, muttering in disbelief that the prime minister has been hanged. Immediately, we're framed into uncannily familiar perspective:
General Zia's period of marshal law has begun.
As the Sikhs are allowed to cross the border and revisit their native places of worship, dissent and fundamentalism sets in deeper. Saleem is now one of them, a misguided boy strongly hanging on to a deluded version of Allah.
The film turns darker and more sombre as an important issue comes evocatively to the fore. A gentle visiting Sikh alludes to the prospect of some female relatives being left behind during Partition, but is silenced vehemently by those around him. It is an issue of pride, and we are awakened to the nightmare that families actually killed their own, sacrificing them brutally to avoid dishonor at the hands of the enemy.
The irony is painfully simple: the womanfolk were actually safer in the hands of the very enemy, whose attempt at dishonor was probably preferable to the slaughter their own families put them through.
Zubair (Navtej Johar), however, is a Sikh determined to find his long-lost elder sister, and is sure she lived around these parts. The film is based on true incidents of the time, and as we shuttle through flashback and the present, Khamosh Pani confronts us with information many of us are unaware of.
The film is subtle, and refreshingly free of hysteria, enough to make it one of the best films in the increasingly crowded Partition genre, and reminds us that the subject still has so much to explore. It's a film striking in its simplicity, unlike most recent attempts that usually peter off into melodrama or pander to clichés and even propaganda.
Most directors, with an eye on the festival circuit, try to exaggerate their viewpoints, and show off cinematic abilities. Mira Nair is a case in point. Here, the debutante filmmaker has made a commendable first effort, with visible sincerity. Her lead actress, Kher, has done an overwhelming job, underplayed but truly a wonderfully written role.
This is the first Pakistani film I've ever watched; Sabiha Sumar has made sure it won't be the last.
Director Sabiha Sumar presents that side to us -- a desolate, barren Pakistan, a magnificent, sprawling wasteland worthy of a Sergio Leone classic. For someone used to the congested streets of an Indian metropolis, seeing this grand, hilly Pakistani village, full of whispered secrets and echoed threats holds a surreal poignancy.
In the Charkhi village of Punjab in Pakistan, life is quirky, quaint, and increasingly foreboding. The setting itself presents a paradox: there are fortresses available for youngsters to romantically rendezvous, but no place for a kafir (non-Muslim) to hide.
Khamosh Pani revolves around the life of a simple, middle-aged woman, Ayesha, played by Kirron Kher. She seems normal enough, a typical Pakistani lady, living the placid life of a widow, supporting her family by giving Quran lessons to neighbourhood children. As the film builds slowly into its plot, we begin to suspect the central protagonist is actually her wistful son, Saleem.
Saleem, played by Aamir Malik, looks exactly in the Jimmy Mistry (The Guru, East Is East) mold, just floppier, lazy, and intensely likable. With a boyish grin firmly in place, he is smitten with girl-next-door, the no-nonsense Zubeida, who's trying to goad him into getting a job.
As the two murmur besotted secrets to each other across the roofs of conveniently empty minarets, Saleem realises that Zubeidaa's dreams of going to college and fashioning her career and her own riches far outweigh his own. In fact, he doesn't have any dream at all, just shuffling through life listlessly. He needs a vocation, a higher cause to believe in.
At this crucial juncture in his youth, Charkhi's naïveté is shattered by the arrival of Islamic fundamentalists. We suddenly realize that the year is 1979, and we're told emotionally that Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has just been hanged.
There is ample scope for over-dramatisation, but the scene has been handled with wonderful restraint -- a postman stands by his bicycle, seemingly lost. When Ayesha repeatedly asks him what's wrong, he just shakes his head and shows her the paper, muttering in disbelief that the prime minister has been hanged. Immediately, we're framed into uncannily familiar perspective:
General Zia's period of marshal law has begun.
As the Sikhs are allowed to cross the border and revisit their native places of worship, dissent and fundamentalism sets in deeper. Saleem is now one of them, a misguided boy strongly hanging on to a deluded version of Allah.
The film turns darker and more sombre as an important issue comes evocatively to the fore. A gentle visiting Sikh alludes to the prospect of some female relatives being left behind during Partition, but is silenced vehemently by those around him. It is an issue of pride, and we are awakened to the nightmare that families actually killed their own, sacrificing them brutally to avoid dishonor at the hands of the enemy.
The irony is painfully simple: the womanfolk were actually safer in the hands of the very enemy, whose attempt at dishonor was probably preferable to the slaughter their own families put them through.
Zubair (Navtej Johar), however, is a Sikh determined to find his long-lost elder sister, and is sure she lived around these parts. The film is based on true incidents of the time, and as we shuttle through flashback and the present, Khamosh Pani confronts us with information many of us are unaware of.
The film is subtle, and refreshingly free of hysteria, enough to make it one of the best films in the increasingly crowded Partition genre, and reminds us that the subject still has so much to explore. It's a film striking in its simplicity, unlike most recent attempts that usually peter off into melodrama or pander to clichés and even propaganda.
Most directors, with an eye on the festival circuit, try to exaggerate their viewpoints, and show off cinematic abilities. Mira Nair is a case in point. Here, the debutante filmmaker has made a commendable first effort, with visible sincerity. Her lead actress, Kher, has done an overwhelming job, underplayed but truly a wonderfully written role.
This is the first Pakistani film I've ever watched; Sabiha Sumar has made sure it won't be the last.
silent waters
mossgrymk30 November 2020
An interesting and at times affecting examination of perhaps the world's most intractable conflict. (i.e. I have less hope for peace between India/Pakistan than I do Israel/Iran) Film suffers from over the top acting and writing, though, with a decided bias in favor of the Secularists over the Muslims, the later of whom are petty much without exception portrayed as fanatics, sexists and bigots. Also, Saleem's conversion from average twenty year old kid to religious zealot makes Operation Warp Speed look like a birdwatching expedition. One minute he's all lovey dovey with his bride to be, the next he's snarling at her to stop enslaving him. This kind of head spinning, character change stuff is the hallmark of poor screenwriting. Film is on much firmer ground when it's dealing with the customs and quirks of Pakistani village life and how these mores are threatened when the Jihadists come to town. It's in these scenes as well as the early interaction between Saleem and his mom, a mixture of tension and affection, that director Sabiha Sumar shows her considerable talent. I hope to see more of her work. Give it a B.
Excellent Masterpiece
abhinavkumar66616 September 2007
First of all I would like to thank Sabiha Sumar and Kiron Kher for presenting a wonderful masterpiece. This movie moved my emotions, it was so touching that it put me in tears. Kiron Kher's role as Ayesha alias Veero was excellent, she was the perfect fit for the role, no one else could replace her.I am proud to know that there are people like you who stand up for the truth and I thank you for all your efforts and passion. There is no doubt that your recent achievements will be spoken of for some more time to come and the admiration for your accomplishments is felt by all of us.Please accept my heartiest congratulations for your success.
Weldon Subiha
mubashirmansoor3 October 2007
I know Subiha way back since Eighties. At that time she was a young lady and just came back form Oxford to Karachi. She was engage in a War Against Rape to save innocent women and also joins an Urdu newspaper AMN with us. She was although too young but a brilliant and socio conscious girl. With reference to her film Khamosh Pani I would like to say Weldon Subiha
. But my dear you may don't know, today situation in Pakistan is more dangerous than Zia period. Nowadays we are sitting on a volcano that erupts every day some where in Pakistan and take lot of innocent peoples life. Karachi was a modern city by every means in recent past but today go anywhere in this city, it may be a posh area, middle class locality or a slums you will find bearded men and burqa clad women in such a huge numbers that no one could even imagine some years earlier. This huge number of black bearded mullah and black burqa clad women on streets looks to me a black storm which is coming to destroy every thing. Time has come to make a film on this situation, I would like to suggest name of this film '' LAWA''. I think no one but Subiha can produce that kind of a film. I wish you best of luck Subiha. MUBASHIR MANSOOR
Awakening a Sleeping Giant
f6u6c6k23 December 2003
'Silent Waters'is consciously designed to be an issue-based movie. The subject seemed to follow a certain pattern in which women took the center stage in the narrative. Though, there were parallel tracks as well, but it was a perception developed out of simple observation, and not because there was any particular ideology to propound.
The film is based on actual events that took place when the Indian sub-continent was partitioned in 1947 into two new states - India and Pakistan. It was a time of intense violence. In pre-partition Punjab, Muslims and Sikhs had lived side-by-side, but during the partition men from both sides of the religious divide slaughtered each other. Each looted the other's property, which included their respective women: little distinction was made between robbing cattle and abducting women. Muslim men abducted Sikh women while Sikh men abducted Muslim women. The women were raped, bought, sold and, sometimes, murdered; some ended up marrying their abductors.
This film has a definite Punjabi feel, set on the borders of Pakistan in 1979 - the year that president Zia Ul-Haq introduced Islamic laws into what was meant to be a secular country.
Silent Waters is chillingly humane drama that will stay with you for a long time.
The film is based on actual events that took place when the Indian sub-continent was partitioned in 1947 into two new states - India and Pakistan. It was a time of intense violence. In pre-partition Punjab, Muslims and Sikhs had lived side-by-side, but during the partition men from both sides of the religious divide slaughtered each other. Each looted the other's property, which included their respective women: little distinction was made between robbing cattle and abducting women. Muslim men abducted Sikh women while Sikh men abducted Muslim women. The women were raped, bought, sold and, sometimes, murdered; some ended up marrying their abductors.
This film has a definite Punjabi feel, set on the borders of Pakistan in 1979 - the year that president Zia Ul-Haq introduced Islamic laws into what was meant to be a secular country.
Silent Waters is chillingly humane drama that will stay with you for a long time.
A really beautiful movie
ankush_aggarwal23 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Khamosh Pani is really beautifully made movie. It's most important part is it's such a real shooting locations and perfect story line. It brings up the important issues associated with Indo-Pak partition. It's beauty is enhanced by it's wonderful and soul touching music. Most beautiful being the nawaaz when saleem is sitting on the roof of some sort of fort. As you watch the movie you go through some questions related to general conceptions of religion, human existence and some events related to partition. This thing makes the movie worth watching as many times you want to see it.
Over all the best movie I have ever seen.
Over all the best movie I have ever seen.
Haunting Scenes
Hansda_Sowvendra_Shekhar16 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I saw Khamosh Pani on DVD released in India by this firm called Excel Home Videos. Unlike other DVD biggies released (like Parineeta, Dor, 2046, Hero, Moulin Rouge, Ice Age, etc) released by the same firm, Khamosh Pani begins in complete silence. First, there's the firm's logo, then, the warning notice, and then, the main menu. So far, things have progressed in pin-drop silence. I choose the subtitles On option as the film is in Punjabi. I am informed that Kirron Kher won the best actress award at Locarno for her performance in Khamosh Pani. This information, too, comes noiselessly. When no sound emanates from my 5.1 home theater system I begin to panic. My three-hundred-and-forty-nine rupees gone (That is the price of this DVD). And then, Just like my heart beats gaining momentum, some soft music is audible through the speakers. I relax, and as the film proceeds, I understand why it is called Khamosh Pani, and why silence is so much integral to its plot.
The year is 1979. Ayesha (Kirron Kher) is a middle-aged Muslim widow in this village called Charkhi in the Punjab region of Pakistan. She has a teenage son called Saleem (Aamir Malik) who she loves very much. Saleem wishes to marry Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), an ambitious young girl with dreams of attending a college, getting a job in an office and owning a mixer and a ceiling fan. Ayesha has spent her entire life in silence. There's a secret she's hidden from everyone. A secret, parts of which come to the viewers in the form of some very disturbing images shot in black and white, showing young girls running, screaming, and a really intriguing visual of the round surface of water in a deep well.
There is communal harmony in this village of Muslims and Sikhs, till two strangers from Lahore come to inform the Muslim villagers of the new martial laws laid down by the then President, General Zia-Ul-Haq. Matters are worsened by the arrival of Sikh pilgrims from India who are often teased by some intolerant Muslims of the village. One Sikh man (Navtej Johar) is looking for his elder sister Veero who had gone missing during the Partition in 1947, a time when Sikh, Hindu and Muslim men were killing their own wives, daughters and sisters or were forcing them to kill themselves in order to keep them from being raped by the men of the enemy community as dishonoring the womenfolk of a particular community was seen as the easiest way of dishonoring that community altogether.
In the meanwhile, Saleem, gullible and impressionable youth that he is, has gone neck-deep in his involvement with the two fundamentalists. He has grown a bushy beard, learns to shoot guns, prays regularly, and cannot stand the sight of non-Muslims. Zubeida fails to understand what has gone wrong with the boy who had wanted to marry her, for Saleem starts disapproving of her plans to pursue further studies and earn her own livelihood. To make matters worse, Saleem questions his own mother about her origins.
The performances are commendable. Kirron Kher truly deserves the awards that she's won for Khamosh Pani. Ditto for the other actors. However, what I liked the most is the way this film has been shot. The scenes are grainy, giving the film a very raw look. This is more striking as the film deals with a very strong theme and such raw in-your-face treatment gives the feeling of actually seeing thing live. Here I should make a special mention of the flashbacks, the secrets shot in black and white I was talking about. They are not exactly black & white, they carry a hint of sepia. The visuals in these flashbacks are not very distinct, very much like Ayesha's memories which are old and unclear, yet unforgotten.
The scene showing a a woman standing on the well's edge, with dust billowing all around her, spreading her arms like Christ, is truly haunting.
Another scene that stands out is the one showing a lone Saleem offering Namaaz on the mosque patio. It has been shot in blue (or is it natural moonlight?). The cinematography of Khamosh Pani reminded me of two other movies I've seen -- Lars Von Trier's Breaking the Waves (for the grainy images) and The Ring (for the raw home video-like feel).
Finally, there's one scene which will haunt me for a few more months at least. I can't say too much about it as it might give the plot away. This scene has been done in blue (natural moonlight?). This makes the character appear very ghostly, like an apparition. It's amazing, and to enhance the effect, the scene doesn't last more than a few seconds.
Khamosh Pani is aptly titled. And the khamoshi (silence) that runs through the movie is justified. This silence makes questions grow inside one's head, it makes one think. I can't believe how I got such a beautiful movie so cheap? My money has been recovered. The silence of Khamosh Pani doesn't scare me anymore.
The year is 1979. Ayesha (Kirron Kher) is a middle-aged Muslim widow in this village called Charkhi in the Punjab region of Pakistan. She has a teenage son called Saleem (Aamir Malik) who she loves very much. Saleem wishes to marry Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), an ambitious young girl with dreams of attending a college, getting a job in an office and owning a mixer and a ceiling fan. Ayesha has spent her entire life in silence. There's a secret she's hidden from everyone. A secret, parts of which come to the viewers in the form of some very disturbing images shot in black and white, showing young girls running, screaming, and a really intriguing visual of the round surface of water in a deep well.
There is communal harmony in this village of Muslims and Sikhs, till two strangers from Lahore come to inform the Muslim villagers of the new martial laws laid down by the then President, General Zia-Ul-Haq. Matters are worsened by the arrival of Sikh pilgrims from India who are often teased by some intolerant Muslims of the village. One Sikh man (Navtej Johar) is looking for his elder sister Veero who had gone missing during the Partition in 1947, a time when Sikh, Hindu and Muslim men were killing their own wives, daughters and sisters or were forcing them to kill themselves in order to keep them from being raped by the men of the enemy community as dishonoring the womenfolk of a particular community was seen as the easiest way of dishonoring that community altogether.
In the meanwhile, Saleem, gullible and impressionable youth that he is, has gone neck-deep in his involvement with the two fundamentalists. He has grown a bushy beard, learns to shoot guns, prays regularly, and cannot stand the sight of non-Muslims. Zubeida fails to understand what has gone wrong with the boy who had wanted to marry her, for Saleem starts disapproving of her plans to pursue further studies and earn her own livelihood. To make matters worse, Saleem questions his own mother about her origins.
The performances are commendable. Kirron Kher truly deserves the awards that she's won for Khamosh Pani. Ditto for the other actors. However, what I liked the most is the way this film has been shot. The scenes are grainy, giving the film a very raw look. This is more striking as the film deals with a very strong theme and such raw in-your-face treatment gives the feeling of actually seeing thing live. Here I should make a special mention of the flashbacks, the secrets shot in black and white I was talking about. They are not exactly black & white, they carry a hint of sepia. The visuals in these flashbacks are not very distinct, very much like Ayesha's memories which are old and unclear, yet unforgotten.
The scene showing a a woman standing on the well's edge, with dust billowing all around her, spreading her arms like Christ, is truly haunting.
Another scene that stands out is the one showing a lone Saleem offering Namaaz on the mosque patio. It has been shot in blue (or is it natural moonlight?). The cinematography of Khamosh Pani reminded me of two other movies I've seen -- Lars Von Trier's Breaking the Waves (for the grainy images) and The Ring (for the raw home video-like feel).
Finally, there's one scene which will haunt me for a few more months at least. I can't say too much about it as it might give the plot away. This scene has been done in blue (natural moonlight?). This makes the character appear very ghostly, like an apparition. It's amazing, and to enhance the effect, the scene doesn't last more than a few seconds.
Khamosh Pani is aptly titled. And the khamoshi (silence) that runs through the movie is justified. This silence makes questions grow inside one's head, it makes one think. I can't believe how I got such a beautiful movie so cheap? My money has been recovered. The silence of Khamosh Pani doesn't scare me anymore.
A visual treat
anshul2001anshul28 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Well all the editing and technical job done by western people has really helped this movie in making it a treat to watch. Though the end is sad but movie leaves various questions open: 1.When Kiron Kher who was forcibly stripped of her identity once finds that she is once again social pariah due to no fault of hers ,anguish and bewilderment at her face are really powerful. 2.The girl cycling outside the Jehadi meeting shows how oblivious world remains when dangers like breed in our surroundings. 3.There is marked similarity in the speech of Leader in the conference and interview of Amir on the TV in the end.Same vague things about identity of nation. 4.Encounter of ayesha with her brother where she asks her that after killing girls to save their HONOUR what was he seeking now?.This scene is superb. 5.Scen at marriage party gives a good glimpse of social interactions in Punjab also how feudal elements still hold sway. Overall I would like to see more movies by this director.In fact world wars' horror are kept alive by superb movies based on that period.Partition of India, an equally momentous event which left behind a trail of human suffering should be depicted in more films of this type so that young people and people outside Indain subcontinent are sensitized that violence and religion never mix well.
Khamosh Pani an excellent first venture into unexplored territory
shoaibnaveed12 September 2007
This film was quite a pleasant surprise. I would recommend it to every one as it certainly is good cinema. A class above the stereotypical Bollywood genre you would normally expect out of South Asia, this Pakistani film explores the origins of religious fundamentalism in Pakistan along with the horrors following Partition that still scar the memories of many in the region. I would probably rate this above 1947 Earth and certainly consider it to be the most influential movies I have seen on Partition. Excellent camera work, fluent and appropriate use of Punjabi script and great top notch acting by Kiron Kher along with many veteran Pakistani actors will leave you full of emotion after you see the film. The subtitles could be a bit better for the Non-Punjabi viewer, and i think a little more spotlight should have been put on how and why the religious fundamentalist gathered such momentum in a nation leaning more towards Moderate rule after Bhutto's regime. The fact that these groups had strong economic and social backing from the U.S at the time, as they were the ones fighting the war against communist Russia should have been brought out more plainly for the viewer not familiar with the politics and history of the region at the time. And it is these same groups that received such full fledged support from the U.S at the time and painted as 'Holy Warriors' by the Western Media that are now considered terrorist organizations in the post 9/11 era. This point that the U.S played a vital hand in strengthening Islamic fundamentalist organizations under Zia's rule was i think not driven home to the extent it could have been. But all in all a wonderful first effort by Sabiha Sumar, i would give it a 9 out of 10.
a historical fact
amitanshukjain4 October 2007
khamosh pani is among those few films which really matter. After watching his film i couldn't sleep properly for next few nights. it was disheartening to know that Pakistan, which has a similar culture to India underwent major changes culturally during Zia-ul-haq's regime. General Zia in his efforts to avenge the loss of east Pakistan tried to undo any so called Indian influence on social structure by turning Pakistan into a theocratic state. all the radical changes brought in name of islamisation further gave rise to problems which were created by fanatic minds..like taliban in Afghanistan or i.s.i sponsored terrorism in Kashmir.... Though khamosh pani doesn't tackle these issues directly but shows a changing social scenario in Pakistan during the seventies & eighties....this movie in a subtle way reflects the futility of partition in 1947 & the insecurities/prejudices remaining since then.....It should be a lesson to all the people who give more importance to theology than humanity on this planet.
horrifying but likely realistic
lostto5 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the most disturbing movies I have ever seen. Its sickening to see how this woman's existence is secondary to concept of honor for her male family members. The female lead gives a good performance, the settings and cinematography are visually pleasing at times, but the underlying violation and total negation of the basic human right to life totally cancelled any appreciation of those things. I kept watching because I was certain there had to be some enlightenment or redemption coming. Instead, I was left slack-jawed with horror when one lead smiles at at televised comment made by one of the persecutors that after all Pakistan was founded for Islam...as if that could in anyway justify the tragedies
The Genesis....
AvinashPatalay7 July 2009
Its easier to stand on the present day and judge the event on the basis of right and wrong (of course staying within the limits of being politically correct). Khamosh Paani does a bit more than that. It goes back in time and attempts to point at the situations/ circumstances/ events where the seeds of terrorism & fundamentalism were sown by wily politicians in the garb of uniting the people to cleanse the nation. Khamosh Paani is an introspection and references to the Godzilla staring at everyones face today. Through the character of Veero/ Ayesha the director attempts to give a message that history is bound to repeat itself when the path of extremism is chosen.
Kiron Kher: Veero/ Ayesha has seen it before and its almost like a a deja vu should her son chooses to tread the path. The pain and anguish of the mother, yet being resilient to hold back the truth is well portrayed.
Aamir Ali Malik: He does a good job of donning various caps from a headless "lover-boy" chicken, metamorphosing into a purpose-filled jihaadi youth.
Shilpa Shukla: It took me a while to recollect this "Chak De" girl. Her character was merely "used" to show the ideology change in Saleem owing to which the there isn't much meat.
The built up of the events and narrative deserves brownie points. The prosake village life where everybody is living harmoniously like a family is depicted well and the initiation of the snail-paced transformation.
Sabiha Sumar has a story to tell and it does come with a bitter pill, therefore the viewpoint is open to debate. And the barrage of pot calling the kettle black starts - NOW!
Kiron Kher: Veero/ Ayesha has seen it before and its almost like a a deja vu should her son chooses to tread the path. The pain and anguish of the mother, yet being resilient to hold back the truth is well portrayed.
Aamir Ali Malik: He does a good job of donning various caps from a headless "lover-boy" chicken, metamorphosing into a purpose-filled jihaadi youth.
Shilpa Shukla: It took me a while to recollect this "Chak De" girl. Her character was merely "used" to show the ideology change in Saleem owing to which the there isn't much meat.
The built up of the events and narrative deserves brownie points. The prosake village life where everybody is living harmoniously like a family is depicted well and the initiation of the snail-paced transformation.
Sabiha Sumar has a story to tell and it does come with a bitter pill, therefore the viewpoint is open to debate. And the barrage of pot calling the kettle black starts - NOW!
A strong indictment of intolerance
howard.schumann28 March 2005
In 1947, the Indian sub-continent was partitioned into Muslim West and East Pakistan (later Bangladesh ) divided by Hindu-dominated India . Families were uprooted and mass migrations of Muslims and Hindus led to violence, rape, looting, and abductions of women on both sides. The official estimate of the number of abducted women was placed at 50,000 Muslims in India and 33,000 Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan . Some of the women were forced to commit suicide to protect the family "honor" while others ended up marrying their abductors out of self protection, a theme dramatized in Silent Waters, a film by U.S.-educated Pakistani director Sabiha Sumar. Sumar has taken the film all over Pakistan, to cities and small towns alike, in hopes of stimulating a debate about the nature and causes of Islamic extremism.
Set in Pakistan in 1979, the film traces the roots of fundamentalism in Pakistan to the overthrow and execution of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the ascension of fundamentalist General Zia ul-Haq. It tells the story of a Muslim widow Ayesha (Kirron Kher) who is losing her son to a group of Islamic extremists and the tragic consequences in her own life. Saleem (Aamir Malik, a Gael Bernal look-alike) is a carefree 18-year old courting Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), an intelligent and ambitious teenager. When his girlfriend goes away to an all-girls college, he is left at home to think about his future and dreams of a life of doing more than working in the fields. Ultimately, his harsh poverty, peer pressure, and a sense of unfulfilled ambition make him a vulnerable target for the Muslim clerics.
Recruited by the zealots in his own village, he quickly becomes an aggressive jihadist, abruptly turning his back on his mother and his girlfriend. Several scenes show the growing fear and intolerance the movement spreads in the name of racial purity: the sudden building of a brick wall around a girls school playground, and the bullying of shop owners to close their doors during prayer time. According to Sumar, "There was just a kind of fear that led people to stop thinking. When fear becomes pervasive, you stop questioning." Ayesha becomes haunted by flashbacks, a recurring dream of a young girl screaming and running from a well. When a group of Sikh pilgrims come to town to pray at the village mosque, enmity flares up again and Ayesha is forced to confront a dark secret in her past and a little-known chapter of violence against women in Pakistan 's history.
Silent Waters is a strong indictment of the intolerance and the abuse of women caused by religious differences, yet its potential is not fully realized. Aside from the introduction of Bollywood-style songs and dances at the beginning that feels out of place, both good guys and bad guys are shown without any nuance or dimensionality, especially the militants who are little more than caricatures, and the motivation behind Saleem's easy recruitment is unclear. In spite of these aesthetic considerations, Silent Waters is an important film that helps us to better appreciate the vulnerability of women during times of political crises and the factors that may have led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. If it encourages us to learn more about the history and times, it will have served an extremely useful purpose. It just could have been so much more.
Set in Pakistan in 1979, the film traces the roots of fundamentalism in Pakistan to the overthrow and execution of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the ascension of fundamentalist General Zia ul-Haq. It tells the story of a Muslim widow Ayesha (Kirron Kher) who is losing her son to a group of Islamic extremists and the tragic consequences in her own life. Saleem (Aamir Malik, a Gael Bernal look-alike) is a carefree 18-year old courting Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), an intelligent and ambitious teenager. When his girlfriend goes away to an all-girls college, he is left at home to think about his future and dreams of a life of doing more than working in the fields. Ultimately, his harsh poverty, peer pressure, and a sense of unfulfilled ambition make him a vulnerable target for the Muslim clerics.
Recruited by the zealots in his own village, he quickly becomes an aggressive jihadist, abruptly turning his back on his mother and his girlfriend. Several scenes show the growing fear and intolerance the movement spreads in the name of racial purity: the sudden building of a brick wall around a girls school playground, and the bullying of shop owners to close their doors during prayer time. According to Sumar, "There was just a kind of fear that led people to stop thinking. When fear becomes pervasive, you stop questioning." Ayesha becomes haunted by flashbacks, a recurring dream of a young girl screaming and running from a well. When a group of Sikh pilgrims come to town to pray at the village mosque, enmity flares up again and Ayesha is forced to confront a dark secret in her past and a little-known chapter of violence against women in Pakistan 's history.
Silent Waters is a strong indictment of the intolerance and the abuse of women caused by religious differences, yet its potential is not fully realized. Aside from the introduction of Bollywood-style songs and dances at the beginning that feels out of place, both good guys and bad guys are shown without any nuance or dimensionality, especially the militants who are little more than caricatures, and the motivation behind Saleem's easy recruitment is unclear. In spite of these aesthetic considerations, Silent Waters is an important film that helps us to better appreciate the vulnerability of women during times of political crises and the factors that may have led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. If it encourages us to learn more about the history and times, it will have served an extremely useful purpose. It just could have been so much more.
A Work Of Art
The_Jihadi31 August 2006
Khamosh Pani a.k.a Silent Waters (Urdu/Punjabi-English Subtitles) is an extra-ordinary feature film i've ever seen till date. It is totally belongs to Sabiha Sumar all the way. In short it is totally a Director's Film. Every scene of this film shows and portrays the hard work gone into it.
Every actor in this film performs very well. Especially Kirron Kher & Amir Mallik steals the show.
I think this film is a treat to watch. Every frame of this film has something to say and discuss. A truly learning cinema. Sabiha Sumar gives a work of Masterpiece in her debut. Kudos to the film maker for revealing such a beautiful cinema!!!
Every actor in this film performs very well. Especially Kirron Kher & Amir Mallik steals the show.
I think this film is a treat to watch. Every frame of this film has something to say and discuss. A truly learning cinema. Sabiha Sumar gives a work of Masterpiece in her debut. Kudos to the film maker for revealing such a beautiful cinema!!!
For the ones who believe their religion is the only true religion: Ignorance is a Disease!!!!
Sherazade6 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Stunning work by director Sabiha Sumar, I was blown away by the brutal and painfully upfront reality of this film. This film is stripped of all the glitz and glamour yet still it manages to be a beautiful portrayal of the harsh reality of life. I much appreciated the wedding scenes and the Mujra (yes, as intense as this film is, it still manages to chuck in a cute Mujra and a beautiful wedding) scene, they sort of prepare you for the depressing nature of what's to come.
Whomever cast Kiron Kher in 'Rang De Basanti' must have fallen in love with her heart-wrenching performance in 'Khamosh Pani' first before doing so. This character reminded me so much of her character from 'RDB' - a beautiful mother, powerless (except for prayer) and helplessly watching her son go down a destructive path. She is strikingly intense yet thankfully subdued as the single aging mother of a young boy named Saleem who is coming of age and has begun to keep secrets from her. At first, it all seems harmless when we find out that Saleem has only been sneaking away to meet with his sweetheart Zubeida (played by equally intense Shilpa Shukla) in an abandoned building, their regular meeting spot where they sit and dream about how their lives will be, and do other things just like young people in love do. But it isn't until a close friend of Saleem's introduces him to a group of dangerously Islam fanatics that the trouble starts.
The on screen transformations is particularly spectacular, in terms of the way Saleem looks when the film starts (a beautiful young man), to the way he looks when the fanaticism begins to swallow the love he has for his mother and lady love as well as for life as he knew it (a ghost of the boy he used to be) and finally, years later when a chanced glancing at a telly screen leads Zubeida to spot the man she once loved giving a religious speech on a political channel (a mostly unrecognisable Saleem). While much props should be given to Sumar for brilliantly capturing such vital pictographic scenes, actor Aamir Ali Malik should be lauded as well, for throwing himself held long into this character. Kiron Kher is so good in this film that it is impossible to put her brilliant acting into words. To say that she was stellar, would be an understatement.
The religious war between India and Pakistan is not something new, but what baffled me was the level of ignorance that the Muslims displayed in this film. Making fun of Sikhs and calling them the best friends of Lice was just out of line! Calling them unbelievers just because your religion is different from theirs? All the killing and fighting. It all seems senseless because God listens to us all regardless of the way we pray to him. It was so heart-wrenching to watch what happened to the women and children when the Muslims came to take over Pakistan, those scenes were very hard to take. And when Ayeesha/Veero (Kher's character) finally caved into the pressure, it was hard not to shed a tear in disbelief. She was sold out. Sold out by her brothers, sold out by her son, sold out by her father, sold out ignorance and the blindness of mankind.
Whomever cast Kiron Kher in 'Rang De Basanti' must have fallen in love with her heart-wrenching performance in 'Khamosh Pani' first before doing so. This character reminded me so much of her character from 'RDB' - a beautiful mother, powerless (except for prayer) and helplessly watching her son go down a destructive path. She is strikingly intense yet thankfully subdued as the single aging mother of a young boy named Saleem who is coming of age and has begun to keep secrets from her. At first, it all seems harmless when we find out that Saleem has only been sneaking away to meet with his sweetheart Zubeida (played by equally intense Shilpa Shukla) in an abandoned building, their regular meeting spot where they sit and dream about how their lives will be, and do other things just like young people in love do. But it isn't until a close friend of Saleem's introduces him to a group of dangerously Islam fanatics that the trouble starts.
The on screen transformations is particularly spectacular, in terms of the way Saleem looks when the film starts (a beautiful young man), to the way he looks when the fanaticism begins to swallow the love he has for his mother and lady love as well as for life as he knew it (a ghost of the boy he used to be) and finally, years later when a chanced glancing at a telly screen leads Zubeida to spot the man she once loved giving a religious speech on a political channel (a mostly unrecognisable Saleem). While much props should be given to Sumar for brilliantly capturing such vital pictographic scenes, actor Aamir Ali Malik should be lauded as well, for throwing himself held long into this character. Kiron Kher is so good in this film that it is impossible to put her brilliant acting into words. To say that she was stellar, would be an understatement.
The religious war between India and Pakistan is not something new, but what baffled me was the level of ignorance that the Muslims displayed in this film. Making fun of Sikhs and calling them the best friends of Lice was just out of line! Calling them unbelievers just because your religion is different from theirs? All the killing and fighting. It all seems senseless because God listens to us all regardless of the way we pray to him. It was so heart-wrenching to watch what happened to the women and children when the Muslims came to take over Pakistan, those scenes were very hard to take. And when Ayeesha/Veero (Kher's character) finally caved into the pressure, it was hard not to shed a tear in disbelief. She was sold out. Sold out by her brothers, sold out by her son, sold out by her father, sold out ignorance and the blindness of mankind.
Truly captures the issues/religious feelings related to partition of India
vgoel-3083429 June 2016
I would say that I accidentally stumbled upon this movie on Amazon yesterday and was left bewildered by it. It touched so many chords and I felt that it is one of the best movies I have seen in some time.
Being from India, I have read many books on partition and creation of Pakistan etc and this story was presented in very different manner. The whole presentation was quite simple but in a strong manner.
I was also amazed at how the director got together so many brilliant actors from Indian as well as Pakistani cinema together.
Kiron kher was absolutely brilliant.
Would highly recommend to anybody interested in Partition and Pakistan.
Being from India, I have read many books on partition and creation of Pakistan etc and this story was presented in very different manner. The whole presentation was quite simple but in a strong manner.
I was also amazed at how the director got together so many brilliant actors from Indian as well as Pakistani cinema together.
Kiron kher was absolutely brilliant.
Would highly recommend to anybody interested in Partition and Pakistan.
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