Firaaq

Plot synopsis:
Firaaq follows the life of several ordinary people, some who were victims, some silent observers, and some perpetrators one month after the 2002 violence in Gujarat. It focuses on how their lives are affected and (irrevocably) changed.
The story is set over a 24-hour period, one month after a carnage that took place in Gujarat, India in 2002. This sectarian violence killed more than 900 Muslims and 300+ hindus, hundreds of thousands were made homeless and the number of women raped is still unknown.
Khan Saheb (Naseeruddin Shah) is an elderly Muslim classical vocalist, who remains blissfully optimistic of the situation happening around him. His servant, Karim Mian (Raghubir Yadav), tries to alert him to the problems the Muslim community is facing, but Khan Saheb only realises the extent of the trauma upon seeing the destruction of a shrine dedicated to the Sufi saint, Wali Gujarati. A middle-age Hindu housewife, Aarti (Deepti Naval), is traumatised because she did not help a Muslim woman being chased by a mob and finds a way to atone for her sins upon finding Mohsin, a Muslim orphan who wanders the city in search for his family. Meanwhile her husband, Sanjay (Paresh Rawal), and his brother, Deven (Dilip Joshi), try to bribe police officers to prevent Deven's arrest for gang-rape. Muneera (Shahana Goswami) and her husband Hanif (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), are a young Muslim couple who return home only to find it looted and burnt. Muneera struggles to relate to her Hindu neighbour Jyoti (Amruta Subash) in the following days, as she suspects her for taking part in the looting. Hanif, along with several other Muslim men, plan to retaliate against the violence and their helplessness by searching for a gun to exact revenge. Sameer (Sanjay Suri) Shaikh and Anuradha Desai (Tisca Chopra) are a wealthy, interreligious couple, whose store was burnt during the carnage. They decide to move to Delhi to escape the violence and Sameer comes into conflict with his wife's family over expressing his identity as a Muslim in India.
Through these characters we experience the consequences of violence that impact their inner and outer lives. Violence spares nobody. Yet in the midst of all this madness, some find it in their hearts to sing hopeful songs for better times.

Tags: tragedy

Review:
Nandita Das, an actress known for her off-beat choice of movies and remarkable acting skills, wears the cap of a director and gives us a sensitive & thoughtful movie based on aftermaths of the Gujarat Riots, which unfortunately happened in 2002.
On the similar lines "Firaaq" (means Separation or Judaai) tells stories of few people, their fears and the trauma they face after one month of the miss-happening in the state.Though it may not be liked by mainstream viewers for its artistic treatment, but for a thinking viewer, "Firaaq" has depth, emotions and power to make you reconsider, what is the difference between two religions which causes so much hatred and bloodshed?
In fact, this is the most powerful scene out of all the movies made on communal riots till date.
So hats off to Nandita for this particular scene.The movie then moves into different stories of people who witnessed the massacre, and are still haunted by the memory of those black days.
The conversation scenes between Deepti and the child are the most emotional ones in the movie which prove the immense talent Nandita Sen has got.However there are two stories which stand out and have a lasting impression on the viewer.
Their confrontation dialogues and two minds situation has been shot realistically which touches your soul.The other moving story is about a true old classical singer (Naseeruddin Shah), who still believes that everything is at peace out there and nothing has changed.
Out of all, Naseeruddin Shah & Sanjay Suri stand out with their true to life performances and are a treat to watch.
Cinematography is of first rate and plays a major part in giving the realistic touch to the movie."Firaaq" actually, should be seen more as an artistic and thought provoking docu-drama than as a mainstream Hindi movie.
That deprives "Firaaq" to be called an ultimate masterpiece, but still it is a movie which should be watched by everyone as a compulsion and you cannot afford to miss it.That is why it also enters my "Movies To See Before You Die List" too.So don't miss it as it is an intelligent and well made gift from the charming Nandita Sen. Would love to see her more works very soon..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
Dear friends Hats off to Nandita Dass, I just can't imagine that it is her first movie as a director.
The reality of the script and the way the movie has been directed is so amazing that you think that rather than sitting in the cinema hall you are just somewhere there in the movie watching it in real.
As far as the acting is concerned what a cast N.Shah the legend of the Hindi film industry, Deepti Naval , Paresh Raval other legends along with the rest of the cast who just light up the screen with the magic of there presence and acting The story is so gripping that inspite of a break to take a call the moment i came back it immediately gripped me with a quality of realism which is very rare in films of any genre language country believe me the magic of the Director Cast and Crew has to be seen to be believed.
The first attempt of veteran indie actress Nandita Das in directing is a spellbinding film which takes the Gujurat Riots of 2002 as its backdrop.
And caught up in these people is an orphan who has lost his parents and is roaming around the city.The individual stories of the film are excellently done, themes of inter-religious marriages, abusive husbands, guilt of not helping Muslims, victims turning to violence, police brutality, middle class hypocrisy (One scene was excellent: A wedding is taking place.
Right now, Firaaq is movie which just gives us a glimpse of these people lives without letting us know what will happen to them in the future.
This movie is worth its efforts to document the tragic events of 2002 riots in Gujarat, with the main personality behind this project being Nandita Das, who happens to be the director besides being one of the writers, definitely made this movie without having an eye at the box-office.
'Firaaq', made by first time film-maker Nandita Das on a limited budget, explores the aftermath of India's Hindu-Muslim riots of 2002.
The film works by telling five parallel stories, and crucially, they all occur once the main killing is over; what we see is how those who have survived deal with what has happened.
In pure cinematic terms, it's not the most sophisticated film ever made, nor does it have the most intricate plot; but it's impressive how Das avoids the temptation to reduce her story to mainstream cliché; and thereby finds some insight into the darkest depths of human behaviour..
Yet I was a little hesitant in going for the movie  especially after a long week at work - I didn't want to watch a heavy movie about the Gujarat riots!
Nandita Das has taken some ordinary people and showed us how they react when faced with something extraordinary  it brings out the worst in some like Paresh Rawal while some like Sanjay Suri look to escape.It is a rare movie that can stir up a whirlpool of emotions inside the viewer  feelings as diverse as loathing, despair, hope and happiness and everything that is in between  all in a runtime of just 100 minutes.
Nandita Das exceeds expectations in her directorial debut in Firaaq, taking on the Gujarat riots issue with a wonderful sensitivity.
Sure, she has the advantage of having a stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah & Paresh Rawal in Firaaq - but the finesse with which the screenplay seamlessly weaves all the story together is completely to her creditFrom a slightly disturbing opening scene, we are introduced to the different characters and their dilemmas - the Hindu-Muslim urban couple who are leaving town, a Muslim couple who come back to their home to find it burnt down, the gujarati housewife struggling to come to terms with her guilt, a orphaned child looking for his family and an ageing singer oblivious to reality  Each of the actors' performance has been stellar  you cannot help but loath Paresh Rawal and equally you share Deepti Naval's agony and her wish for atonement.
The sharing of the bindi between friends and the intermixing of the names Mohan and Mohsin  the movie is replete with such subtle subtexts.With its limited runtime, Firaaq doesn't conform to the traditional norms of giving a background to each story or taking each of them to a logical conclusion.
But such trifling irritants are completely forgotten by the time you finish watching Firaaq as you would find yourself overwhelmed with conflicting emotions.I regularly review movies at http://bisprad.blogspot.com.
From its very opening scene of a truck dumping dozens of corpses at a graveyard site for mass burial, Nandita Das makes it clear that her directorial debut, Firaaq is not going to be an easy watch.
A fictionalised account of true stories set one month after the horrific communal riots of Gujarat in 2002, Firaaq focuses on a handful of ordinary characters whose lives are changed irreparably by the riots.
There's an affluent mixed-religion couple (played by Tisca Chopra and Sanjay Suri) who prepares to shift to Delhi because the Muslim husband is afraid of what might happen next.
Director Nandita Das steers away from political overtones, choosing instead to tell a dramatic story about everyday people and the repercussions of violence.
Firaaq is an important film because Das never shies away from showing the ugly side of her characters.
I'm reminded of a disturbing scene in the film in which Paresh Rawal's character gleefully asks his younger brother if he enjoyed a gangrape he'd participated in.
It's scenes like these that deliver the full impact of this powerful film, and Das assembles an ensemble of some of the finest actors who bring her characters to life.
It's an unsettling film, one that throws up difficult questions and demands urgent responses.Firaaq is not perfect, but it's much better than anything else you're likely to have watched recently..
But as usual, friendship between a Muslim and Hindu, remain on the surface and somehow doesn't go deeper with its emotional impact.Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra as Sameer and Anu provide an insight into the affluent and literate class, and their dilemmas are something one can easily identify with.
The easy switching across different languages - Gujarati, Hindi & English - in their conversations is extremely charming and reminds one of how we are all part of different worlds that are enmeshed.Dipti Naval is outstanding as the 'imprisoned' woman fighting her own ghosts and her attempts to regain her sanity by bringing home a Muslim boy and protecting him by giving him a Hindu name is a bit contrived, but she manages to make it look poignant.
Paresh Rawal manages to sink his teeth even into the minuscule role he gets and thats hallmark of a good actor.The dialogs are pithy and non-preachy which is a big relief and the screenplay adeptly weaves together the many stories.
Within 10 minutes of the film one knows the stand the script and director is taking and then on it is one scene after another taking the same point of view further.
The 2002 Godhra riots happened and this movie is about the aftermath.
It also conveniently detaches itself from how Muslims were also equally involved in Hindu killings.The movie could have been made better had there been unbias in it.Acting by Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, his brother-in-law and Deepti Naval is worth mentioning.
Nandita Das has done a brilliant job with Firaaq.The film is set during the Gujarat riots and everything about it is as real as it gets.
The smirk on his face after managing to extract money from the car owner even when he was in the wrong, and other scenes are excellent.Naseeruddin Shah, Nawazuddin, Tisca, all of them were excellent.This is a film well worth watching though perhaps not just before bedtime as it is grim viewing.Children should also be allowed to watch so that they may hopefully ensure that pogroms such as the Gujarat riots do not occur again..
"Firaaq' is a non-commercial low budget movie which marks the debut of Nandita Das as a director; and with her directorial venture, she proves she's even a better film-maker than a stunning actress.
The story is seen through a set of characters, especially the Muslims, and their changed lives after the riots.
The dialogues and the narration of the story just holds you tight to your seats; and what you see are the rewarding performances from the distinguished performers like Naserudddin Shah, Raghuvir Yadav, Nawazzudin Siddhiquie, and Deepti Naval.
I wish at least after watching movies like these should bring sensibility and humanity back in India..
Movie actually try to support terrorism and making point that there always will be hatred between Hindu and Muslim.Stupid director like this should only make comedy movies, where they do not need to use their brain.
This movie takes place in the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots between Hindus and Muslims in which the majority of the deaths were Muslim.
This movie succeeds by creating a good story and a number of very distinctive and fascinating characters.
I want to applaud Nandita Das to have chosen a complex theme—the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots—as her directorial debut.
To which Yadav's character, the ever so scared and paranoid Muslim assistant, says: If you start thinking like this, what hope is there for people like me?While watching the film, I was as aghast as Naseer's character was when we find out that Wali Dakhni's grave had been razed and a road has been built on that ground by the government of Gujarat.
The Deepti Naval/Paresh Rawal track is saved by the small boy whose haunting eyes ask all viewers at the end of the movie: what wrong did I do?
Gosh, who can stand those innocent searching eyes?The Tisca Chopra/Sanjay Suri track (the use of a neutral name Samir in a communally charged city, Hindu Muslim marriage) was interesting.
The director also shows a little weakness in executing some scenes in this episode.Firaaq means separation in Urdu.
Excellent debut by Nandita Das in a different role.
Bourgeois couple Sameer (Sanjay Suri) and Anu (Tisca Chopra) debate whether to flee the city; the devoted servant (Raghubir Yadav) of classical vocalist (Naseeruddin Shah) tries to keep grim reality from his beloved master; an abused wife (Deepti Naval) gains the courage to leave her bigoted husband; and henna artist Muneera (upcoming talent Shahana Goswami) suspects her best friend's husband of arson.
After watching this movie, I don't think anyone can justify that its the first movie of an actor turned director 'Nandita Das'.
Although the whole movie juggled many different stories together but in the end it seemed like as if everything was being balanced and I am amazed how Nandita managed to conclude it unbiased.
Nandita Das an underrated actor turned director with this film The film is a docu drama on aftermath of Gujarat Riots that shook the world in 2002, The film has an ensemble cast, with stories not connected to each other yet there have a bone of connection.
There are multiple stories, like Mumbai Meri Jaan and such films One issue with the film is lack of subtitles during the Non Hindi dialogues like Gujarati.etc The film starts with dead bodies being dumped from a truck which really shocks you following an attempt by Nasser who plays a Muslim graveyard digger trying to attack the Hindu Deadbodies and he being stopped.
His wife Deepti Naval is killed with guilt for not opening door to a Muslim women who was burnt down Their scenes are well handled.
Nawzuddin Siddiqui and Shahana Goswami play a Muslim couple who go to their village and find their house burnt and looted on their return, while Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra play an interreligious couple who face the wrats.etc The film is well handled by Nandita Das with the end left open ended it moves you, shakes you,disturbs you.
It may not appeal to all, though I found it to be too pro Muslims and anti Hindus, which could be avoidedNaseeruddin Shah is exceptional in his role, Raghuvir Yadav is perfect, Sanjay Suri is as always dependable, Tisca Chopra is perfect, Paresh Rawal is simply brilliant, Dilip Joshi too is good, Deepti Naval is awesome, Nawzuddin Siddiqui is simply outstanding, Shahana Goswami is brilliant, Rahul Singh and others are all perfect.