Kaafir - Movie Review

Image Credit: https://zeetv.zee5.com/kaafir-character-promos-meet-kainaaz-akhtar-seher-and-vedant-rathod/

Few movies are so powerful that it makes you cry with the protagonists, feel what the actors are feeling. Few movies are so well directed that it focuses at several subtle and sensitive aspects of the society in a very powerful way. Kaafir does all that, and more.
(Kaafir is a Web Series being telecast on Zee5.com. Terming it as "movie" for sake of convenience)

There is a scene in the movie where the protagonist Kainaaz- a Pakistani woman- is sent to jail and inside the jail lockup, first, Hindu women tell her to move away sit on the Muslim women's side, and when she goes to the Muslims' side, Muslim women tell her to shift away sit in the Pakistani section of the jail lockup. The helpless, emotionless expression on Kainaaz's face, breaks your heart. 

In another scene, after a terrorist blast in J&K, some angry youngsters attacked the army officer's house where Kainaaz was staying (since she was a Pakistani). With kainaaz inside with her daughter, they set the house on fire. The two persons who came to rescue both had their relatives' killed in terrorist attacks earlier. One was Suri Uncle's wife who had lost her husband in the very terrorist blast, and another was Vedant, who had lost his army officer brother in a terrorist attacks several years earlier. The incident shows the great divide in society, the divide of blind hatred and matured conscience.

The movie is not only of a Pakistani woman stuck in Indian jails on flimsy grounds of "National security" (flimsy because there was no evidence, and no investigation) . It is also the story of the struggle in the life of a woman, who has to play the role of a daughter, a wife, and a mother in extreme circumstances of the patriarchal, misogynist world. What's more, the movie is also about a righteous man's resolve and conviction in doing the good. The movie is about the fight of good vs the bad elements of society, where ultimately the good wins, but after a lot of pain and sacrifices. 

A still from the movie, where Kainaaz, after winning her freedom from court,
falls on her feet crying, and her little daughter comes running to console her

Look at it- the woman protagonist Kainaaz played by Dia Mirza- first gets ditched by her husband in Pakistan, then she jumps into river to commit suicide, doesn't die but lands into Indian jails. There she gets served 15 months jail term, gets raped by a jailer, and has to remain under extreme circumstances in the jail, not for just 15 months, but for more than 8 yrs!

And look at the male protagonist in the movie- Vedant, played by Mohit Raina, he is from a military family- his two brothers are in army and his father is a retired Police officers. The irony in his life, is that his younger brother was killed by a terrorist, who he himself had got released from jail in capacity of lawyer, under impression that the guy was innocent and not a terrorist! And yet again, he takes up the case of a Pakistani woman Kainaaz! He also takes it up going against his father's constant opposition.

The movie touches upon several delicate issues, and focuses on many conflicting emotions in the minds of the lead protagonists. There is an angle of love and sacrifice, there is the element of guilt, and there is the depiction of great resolve and conviction in face of severe extreme circumstances. Dia Mirza does magic with her acting and expressions, she absolutely dives into the character making it to so real that you feel her pain as she faces. Mohit Raina in his role of the lead male protagonist too plays a great part. The Child actor Dikshita Jain is so cute, lovely and innocent. Several of her innocent questions bring smile on your face. The script writer of the movie has been superb. The movie is replete with several deep dialogues which touch your heart. All in all, this is one gem of a movie, one is a million kind, not to be missed at all. The director, producers and the entire team deserves a huge applaud for making a movie on such theme, with such nuance and depth.

Ending it, I would like to mention a few of the many, fabulous dialogues from the movie:-

"हम जेल वापस चलते हैं अम्मी, यहाँ बाहर मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता है"

"कायनाज जी, हाथ खुले हो या जुड़े हो, कोई फ़र्क़ नहीं पड़ता; इबादत का तरीक़ा नहीं, नीयत मायने रखती है"

"जेल की खिड़की की सलाखों से जब मैं खुले आसमान और पहाड़ों को देखती, तो मुझे वही खुला आसमान और पहाड़ नज़र आते, जो मेरे मुल्क में भी है क़ुदरत सब के लिए एक है, इंसान ही लकीरें बनाता है"

"दुनिया को अगर नफ़रत की निगाहों से देखा जाए तो हमें नफ़रत का ही एहसास होता है। अगर हम दुनिया को प्यार की निगाहों से देखें तो, प्यार का एहसास होता है"

"मारने वालों से बचाने वाले बहुत ज़्यादा हैं, लेकिन बस बेटा वो चुप रहना सीख गए हैं"

"लोग लड़ते हैं मिलने की ख़ातिर,

पर अपनी तो बिछड़ जाने की लड़ाई थी |

जीत मिली हम दोनो को बस, बस आँसू की कमाई थी " 
(the small part of the longer "The Kaafir Poem" by Swanand Kirkire )

OMG: Oh My GOD, and my thoughts...

pic source: koimoi.com

"मजहब इंसानों के लिए बनता है, मजहब के लिए इंसान नहीं"

(what happens is the exact opposite!! people fight to save the name and fame of religion and GOD!!)

Pretty nice movie, having very powerful message hard hitting at the religious hypocrisy in society, in a very light way. More than 95% religious-looking-people in India are actually NOT religious. They are blindly religious, they are hypocrites, they are stupid people of the highest order!! And that's what this movie focuses on, and that too in a light vein. I am quite glad that such a movie was made, it resonates exactly with my sentiments. One doesn't need to go to any religious place, or to follow any particular religious tradition to worship GOD. In fact GOD doesn't need to be worshiped at all!! Why should one worship GOD?!! GOD is my friend, GOD is inside me, I love GOD, I don't need to fear GOD, and I don't need to ask for anything from GOD. GOD is inside every living creature around us. We don't need to go anywhere in search of GOD. Helping the living beings around us could be the best way of expressing our love and affection towards GOD. Help others, care for others, and love thy GOD :)

By the way, this movie also reminded me of OSHO's way of putting forth powerful arguments. And I am sure, had OSHO scripted the story and dialogues of this movie, then it could have been much more impressive and powerful movie :) (On a scale of 10, I would rate this movie 7/10)

People wrongly categorize many guys like me as "atheist". Just because you don't confirm to their typical beliefs about religion and GOD, you are tagged as an "atheist"!! If you don't follow the well-set traditions and religious practices, then you are bound to be non-religious and "atheist"!! If you start questioning their blind beliefs and traditions, you become atheist and non-religious!! This is sheer stupidity, and blatant orthodoxy. One doesn't become non-religious simply by questioning or objecting another person's religious beliefs. The point of contention here is what is understood by "religion", "being religious", and "atheist". "Atheist is the most simple yet most misused term. Simply ask someone- "Do you believe in anything like GOD, or an invisible Superpower?" The answer in Yes or No, should be taken as the conclusive opinion about the person being an atheist or theist.
"Being religious", is far more complicated term, and you can't find it out simply asking a few questions. To conclusively determine it will require to have a well detail examination of the person's ideologies, actions, beliefs, and behaviour. Participating in religious ceremonies or religiously following some "pious traditions" are no sign of being religious (Unfortunately, that has actually become the unsaid benchmark!!)
What is of paramount importance is one's ACTION. Only by observing one's actions closely, over a considerable time period, can one determine this property of being religious.
"Religion" again, is a bit complicated term. How would you define it a few words? For me, it would be simply a noble, holistic, humane way of living one's life.

Stanley Ka Dabba

This was a wonderful attempt by director Amole Gupte. Such a fabulous movie, in a span of just about two hours, it lets you go through multiple emotions. Its entertaining, heartwarming and brings us face to face with some bitter situations of people we are living around with.

The classroom camaraderie of kids could surely remind you of your own days. Its funny and entertaining too though not as much as some comedy films. The movie specifically seems to have been made with a purpose of spreading some messages in a entertaining way, and I bet it was successful in doing so. Unlike "Taare Zameen Par," this time Amole Gupte has done wonders without the help of Aamir Khan. His acting in the role of Khadoos (the nickname of teacher) too is very good. The child actor Partho in the role of Stanley has also done a very good acting. 

The film is basically about the issue of unprivileged orphans and child labour, their lack of education, their lack of proper nutritional food and yet their hidden talent and their intense desire to get proper education, though  one comes to know of this theme only in the last quarter of the movie. 

When the Science teacher scolds Stanley, you get the similar memory of some similar strict, non-sense teachers in childhood days. When the teacher Miss Rosy applauds him and treats him with chocolate you feel happy for him. When you see him having a sneak peek at Miss Rosy hugging her fiancé, you get the same tinge of childhood having a crush of sort on female teachers. When khadoos (the hindi teacher), barks at him for eating his share of lunch and for making it compulsory for him to bring "dabba" in order to get in class, and he walks away sadly, you feel the same sadness. The moment when Stanley brings his dabba and puts it open in front of Khadoos asking- "Sir ab main class attend kar sakta hun na," I was almost in tears. It very aptly depicts how eager and desperate many children are, to attend regular School, but they can't, due to so many limitations. When before going to bed, Stanley lights a candle in front of the photo of his parents and says- "Good night Maa, Good night Paa," in that single moment you come to feel the pain of orphan children. The brave, happy face kept up by Stanley, hiding his real situations from his friend, brings in a stark emotions itself. His talent albeit not appreciated by teachers except Miss Rosy, gets you to the reality of the fact of how extra-talented even some unprivileged, poor kids can be.

Child labour, pain of orphans, lack of education and nutritious food in poor children, and hidden, ignored talent in them- these are the aspects depicted in the movie very skillfully keeping the movie fully entertaining. Hats off to Amole Gupte for creating such a wonderful movie. I hope more people would come out to support unprivileged children in their education and living arrangements. 

A must watch movie!! Entertaining and giving a very nice message.