Firaaq

If I were given a chance to give out an award during this festival, then Firaaq by Nandita Das would be my choice for the best film I've seen during the festival. And it's quite amazing in itself being a first film of the accomplished Indian actress, that it's laced with sensitivity while at the same time tackling some hard issues head on that deals with the deep rooted negative human condition of hate and violence.

Set against the backdrop of the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Gujarat, India, it's an ensemble film with a myriad of characters in multiple story threads which involves a Muslim family who returns to their home only to find it burnt by rioters, of a mixed marriage couple who has to deal with their fears and decision to leave Gujarat for Delhi, of a woman who gets haunted by the ghosts of the incident, and punishes herself for her inaction, of a group of Muslim men all flustered and planning for revenge, of a young orphan wandering the streets, and the list goes on.

In each of the threads, which for the most parts are independent of one another, Nandita Das weaves very moving stories and crafts very interesting characters to function within each story, either serving as a mouthpiece for keen observations, or highlighting very deep rooted fears. The film doesn't flinch from making harsh criticisms or statements through dialogues and interactions between characters, and Das manages to paint characters on both sides of the equation, some exhibiting bad behaviour even when confronting their prejudices or when confronted by their fears. If I could draw a parallel to an established film that Firaaq gets close to, then it will be Paul Haggis' Oscar winner Crash.

One can imagine the human rights violations committed during the tense period, and it's quite natural to see how the outcome of such violations through the mob mentality, affect the common man even after the tumultuous period had passed over, because deep inside, we all know that some prejudice are hard to eradicate. I thought the story of Sameer and Anu was one of the most striking of the lot, and most enduring as well, though with each protection dished out by the wife, the husband feels more insecure about his manhood. Some of the most direct and pointed conversations happen when they are on screen, especially how one's inherent self-preservation mechanism kicks in and would go through anything as extreme as a name change to avoid another extreme such as being stripped to verify identities.

The final act was actually quite chilling, and I felt it could cut either way, depending on your outlook. One, that it is of hope, that with the next generation lies opportunity to bury the past and forge a new future ahead filled with better understanding, and the appreciation that such violence should never occur again. On the other hand, it reminds of how impressionable a young mind is, and through the wandering within a camp, taking in the sights of the aftermath of atrocities committed, that the seeds of revenge could have been innately planted, and being ready for improper indoctrination for further atrocities to be committed, some time in the future. It's extremely difficult, but not impossible, to break the stranglehold that violence begets more violence.

For a rookie director, I feel that Nandita Das has demonstrated that she has what it takes to join the illustrious ranks of female Indian directors in telling very mature stories through assured technique. Firaaq is a shining example, and I hope to see more of her directorial work again soon. Definitely a highly recommended movie in these troubled times of ours, to hold a mirror up against oneself, for some serious self-examination within.

Wow. That is all I could say after sitting through this film. Das makes a scintillating debut as a director, and if 'Firaaq' is the type of cinema she will continue to make, then she has already won one devoted fan. Every shot of this film, every line of its dialogue screams of the directors' humane, socially conscious philosophy. She takes a very brave step in projecting the pain of the 'other' -- which in Firaaq's case is the socially backward Muslim population in India, which was the target of the 2002 Gujrat pogroms.

The film is basically a set of vignettes from a 24 hour period in the lives of the characters in the post-carnage period in Gujrat. There are the slum dwellers, an aging music teacher residing in a rundown locality, an orphaned child and to balance this set, an upper class businessman -- all from the Islamic faith. The episodes in the characters' lives are loosely interconnected and revolve around a slum dwelling couple going back to their burnt-down Muslim ghetto to reclaim their lives, the teacher coming to terms with the madness surrounding him, and the orphan finding, and eventually losing, a refuge.

This is not typical bollywood/escapist fare at all. For one, there are no songs and certainly no dancing, and no overt melodrama. Also, the film at many instances gets painfully real and makes for overall rather disturbing viewing. The fact the film elicits that kind of a response from its audience is no small feet.

Das has very correctly underscored how women have a more humane streak towards people -- regardless of whatever faith/creed they are from. However, the more positive face of the Hindu-Muslim interaction shown in the film at times does start bordering on the unreal.

All in all, mandatory viewing for all who appreciate serious, no-nonsense cinema.

It's quite a dare to make a movie on such a sensitive subject. The movie is very well made which shows the plight of different segments of people at such a horrible time. However the movie shows only one side of the coin and would have been a lot more effective had they tried to balance it by showing both the sides, even slightly. Without that, the movie will get accused as a propaganda story despite being well made.

With 'Firaaq' Nandita Das assumes a part behind the camera. She has chosen a very sensitive subject for her directorial debut. The film is a 'fictional' portrayal of the aftermaths of the riots in Gujrat that have lead to tragic consequences. 'Firaaq' very much reminded me of Haggis's crash in terms of telling multiple stories, the themes of prejudice and the connections between the stories but it is by no means a rip off. It is very much its own film that deals with subjects relevant in today's world. The stories are told like a collage. However, some could have benefited a little more with further development. I liked that not every single stories were linked directly and the connection does not feel forced. Das also uses plenty of subtle elements that give depth to the characters and add effect to the situations but at the same time some scenes appear a little preachy. 'Firaaq' is blessed with a host of talented actors. Deepti Naval tops the cast with a downplayed transcendent performance. Shahana Goswami and Raghuvir Yadav are first rate. Naseeruddin Shah is dependable. Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra are adequate. Paresh Rawal is quite hateful which is a welcome change from his usual overdone comedic roles. Nandita Das shows promise as a director and I believe that with more experience she will only become better. 'Firaaq' has been an interesting watch.

What worked:

• plots and subplots with the stories of violence and stereotypes in the lives of many individuals in Mumbai
• the movie has some of the fine actors and their performances are worth praising

What did not work:

• some plot holes and uneven story telling; not complaining but could have been better I suppose
• the movie focused mainly from one religious perspective and the scenes seemed repetitive and so cliche, adding few newness to the characters and narration

Final verdict: Recommended.