Firaaq

'Firaaq', made by first time film-maker Nandita Das on a limited budget, explores the aftermath of India's Hindu-Muslim riots of 2002. Specifically, it explores the complex ways in which members of a community that has committed an atrocity are more or less complicit in what has happened. 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.

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. We are introduced to four main plots - a Gujarati family complicit in the riots, one mixed marriage (Muslim male, Hindu female), one Muslim classical singer and one couple who return home after the riots have ended. 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. The bride is being decorated by a Muslim who has had her house burnt. And the bride is cussing how these "bloody Muslims" have ruined her marriage) are very poignantly dealt with. But the movie feels lacking a thematic closure. It was as if Nandita Das got tired and said "Ok, thats it! 101 minutes, thats all the runtime I can give. I just don't want to connect all these themes!" and left the film. Which is what just what I wanted - a sort of closure. 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. That is something which IMO, should have been shown. None the less, this is a fine piece of Indian cinema - a far cry from the banal Bollywood dance numbers, masala filled movies. Thumbs up for the effort!

The movie victimises Muslims and shows Hindus in bad light. The film is a mixture of several short stories and in every story Muslims are shown as victims of riots. Gujarat 2002 riots was very sensitive and required lot of research, well thought-out screenplay and mature way of story narration. 3 stars for great acting but truth has been concealed

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.

Excellent debut by Nandita Das in a different role. The true picture of what is happening around. Naseeruddin shah was just as good as we saw him 30 years ago. Excellent theme, and good direction. This one is truly a heart touching movie, and questions the today's generation about what is humanity. I could not see the entire movie.... overwhelming emotions. Set over a 24-hour period, the narrative jumps among multiple story arcs centering on Muslim and Hindi characters from various social classes. 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. Mostly melodramatic playing and simple production design wouldn't seem out of place on small screens. Low-budget tech package is serviceable. In all, a must watch!!!!!!!!!!

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. An auto-rickshaw driver whose house is burned down, and his wife (played by Shahana Goswami) who suspects her Hindu friend's husband did it. An optimistic elderly Muslim musician (played by Naseeruddin Shah) who ultimately resigns himself to the fact that no music can hope to calm this rage. A passive, abused wife of a bigoted Hindu (played by Deepti Naval) who is haunted by guilt for not opening her door to save a woman running from the mob. And a little Muslim boy in search of his father, unaware that he's been orphaned in the carnage. These stories interconnect occasionally in a manner that makes it clear that victims, perpetrators and silent observes are all connected somehow. Director Nandita Das steers away from political overtones, choosing instead to tell a dramatic story about everyday people and the repercussions of violence. Interestingly, you don't actually see any incidents of violence in Firaaq, but its aftermath can be felt throughout the film, in the fear, anguish, loss and anger felt by those left in its wake. 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. Barely moments later, his brother turns to watch a TV news report in which a Muslim woman is seen complaining that they were robbed of their dignity during the riots, to which he spitefully comments that they had little dignity to begin with. 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. If there's a problem with Firaaq, it's the fact that despite her best intentions, Das fails to bridge the gap between the audience and her characters. It's unquestionably sad what happens to these people, you know their lives have changed forever, yet there's a certain unexplained distance that never lets you "feel" the pain yourself. Remember, the most compelling films are the ones that transport you to the centre of the drama, and make you a participant in the action. Firaaq is a noble film, an admirable debut, but you don't feel the pain. There is also the issue of the affected English dialogues in the Sanjay Suri-Tisca Chopra track, and the somewhat meandering nature of the Naseeruddin Shah track. Overlook these faults, however, and make it a point to watch Firaaq. 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.

See there is nothing wrong in making a propaganda movie. If you want to make a biased movie, you atleast have to be intelligent enough to hide your true intentions properly, like Raju Hirani did in PK. Nandita Das the director of Firaaq was such an idiot, that she showed her bias openly in many scenes that anybody could notice. I get it that she wants to show muslims burning hindus, for no reason, in Sabarmati express train is fine. But then hindus killing muslims in feat of revenge is absolutely unacceptable. But spreading this propoganda requires good directorial skills which she lacks. That is the reason why this movie was a big flop.