Firaaq: Religious Discrimination Exposed (TIFF 08)

Viewed September 07, 2008 at the Toronto International Film Festival

Written September 08, 2008

While wearing a scarf rather than a sari means extra screenings at U.S. Airports, it's the difference between life and death in India.  After the September 11th attacks in America, Muslims were discriminated against all over the world.  "Firaaq" gives audience members a closer look at the effects of religious discrimination and violence in Gurat,India.  In 2002, over 3000 Muslims were murdered as a result of religious conflicts.

Nandita Das, female director and actress, uses graphic images of mountains of dead bodies, burnt buildings and bruised Muslims to expose the gruesome evil that hate and ignorance lead to.  She artistically weaves together the stories of three families (one Hindu, one Muslim, and One Mixed marriage) through a 24-hour period one month after the mass violent attacks. 

The film moves along quickly visiting each family.

The lower class Muslim family, Hanif, Muneera and their baby return home after hiding during the violent period. Their home has been completely destroyed by flames. As Muneera tries to restore the home, Hanif runs off with his friends and plans to attack the Hindu gang he thinks is responsible for his damaged home.

Arati and Sunjay are a middle class Hindu family. Arati hallucinates about victimizedMuslims begging her for help and practices self-mutilation as punishment for not offering any of them refuge. Unlike her husband Sunjay, Arati doesn't believe Muslims deserve mistreatment. She finally helps an orphaned by, Mohsin, by giving him a hindu name, Mohan, and claiming the boy as her servant to protect him.

The third family, Hindu Anu and her Muslim husband Sameer, broke social norms when they married each other. To protect himself, Sameer claims Anu's last name as his own but decides to move from Gujarat so he no longer has to hide his true identity. Anu is thankful Sameer's mother gave him a hindu name which lessens the possibility of him becoming a target. Unfortunately, their store is looted because "big brother" knows that Sameer is Muslim.

This powerful film, which contains themes of: domestic abuse, self-denial, orphaned children, crooked governments, irrational violence and above all else religious discrimination, will educate audiences about the battle between Hindus and Muslims in India while exposing the fact that all Muslims are  not like those involved in the terrorist attack of 911.