Firaaq

3000 Muslims died during the 2002 disturbances in the Indian state of Gujarat. Set against the background of the aftermath of this violence, Firaaq - the directing debut of activist and actress Nandita Das - tells a story with an unfortunately all too familiar ring: that of deep-seated hatred, fear and trauma between populations, which can erupt into violence at any time. The viewer’s thoughts turn almost automatically to the World Wars, to South Africa, Rwanda, the Balkans, Israel and Palestine, to ...

Firaaq deals with the aftermath of the violence in Gujarat. Activist and former actress Nandita Das does this by capturing the everyday life of various Muslim and Hindu families. The film zooms in on the suffering of individuals caught up in the hatred. There appear to be long-repressed feelings between the mixed couple Anu and Sameer. Islamic Sameer wonders whether he should flee the city or run the risk of being recognized as a Muslim. The violence leads to tensions even between the Hindu couple: Sanjay and Aarti. Sanjay is angered when Aarti takes a young Muslim under her wing. Muneera and Hanif, Muslims who fled during the conflict, return to discover that their house has been looted. Feeling betrayed by their neighbors, Hanif is bent on revenge.

Das’s film, based on the testimonies of thousands, convincingly shows how the violence in Gujarat affected the lives of countless people.