Shikara : A saga of oppressed pain

Shikara is a 2020 Hindi language film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra after almost 11 years. The story is based on the exodus of Kashmiri Hindu Pandits from Kashmir Valley. It’s not merely a film; it’s a deep sentiment and saga of oppressed soreness. Vidhu Vinod Chopra perfectly captured the beauty and darkness of Kashmir with well-crafted direction, screenplay writing, and of course the brilliant acting by newcomers. Miserably this film had not performed well on Box office and declared a failure on the most popular and authentic site IMDb and by many critics. In the film Protagonist Shiv Kumar Dhar (Aadil Khan) and Shanti (Sadia) struggle to get back their home as more than 400,000 Kashmiri Hindu Pundits had to forcibly throw out from their own house overnight due to religious persecution, and these people continue to live as refugees in their own country. No media, political party, or the public at large came to their rescue or support. Their truth remains either denied or silenced. Shikara is, for the first time, bringing this sensitive issue to the mainstream consciousness in such a way where the real refugees acted on the part of the film. The Director attempt to depict the pain and suffering of Kashmiri pundits through the means of love story and struggle of this twosome to go back to their native place. Shiv writes 1664 letters over the decades to the Presidents of America, to seek international solidarity, and the letters fall on hard of hearing. For a film that deals with people who have become refugees in their own country, Shikara is devoid of anger and bitterness. The trauma and the heart-wrenching pain of being thrown out from their own place and home took away the life of Sadia. The one dialogue from Sadia “Ham Aaenge ,Ham Aaenge Vatan Apane Vaajee Saahab Aur Yahee Pe Dil Lagaenge Yahee Marenge Aur Yahee Ke Paanee Hamaaree Raakh Bahaayee Jaegee” speaks out directly from heart at the behest of all the four lakh Kashmiri Pundits. The film perfectly triggered the right emotions through poetic magic and background score. The interesting fact about this film is that, over 4000 real Kashmiri Pundits refugees from the Jagti refugee camp have acted in the film and recreated the real scenes of the exodus as it happened in 1990. This is the first time in World Cinema that real refugees have acted out their own story for a motion picture, and all supporting cast from the film are also Kashmiris. This film neither spread the hatred for any other religion nor evokes any politics. This is a simple love saga along with the struggle they went through for survival, respect, and to come back to their native soil. Though film catches the good critics along with that some hatred waves comes up. Even though renowned Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron has praised this film, then why so negative comments and 3.2 rating was a bit indigestible. This is the kind of film which we hardly notice in Hindi Cinema, because of so many negative reviews, and a major part of the audience won’t see that because they rely on these so-called critics, but one should judge only after watching whether it’s got the lowest rating or bad reviews as well. This is the most underrated film of 2020 perhaps because it’s not entertaining, or the people won’t like meaningful Cinema.

These lines are the core of the film, embrace all the pain and story so far, which directly reveal their painful condition:

 

Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho
Kya ab bhi wahan seher shikara karte hai
Chaar chinar pe waqt guzara karte hain
Kya ab bhi woh jheel barf ho jaati hai
Jispe bachche khel khilara karrte hai
Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho

Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho
Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho

 Bin tere khaali hoon main
Bin tere khaali hoon main
Kya tum bhi waisi ho
Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho

Kya ab bhi tum
Sabz sunehari hoti ho
Ya garmi ki narm dopehari hoti ho
Kya ab bhi jo
Shaam ka sooraj dhalta hai
Kacche ghar ki chhat pe thehri hoti ho
Ae wadi shehzadi bolo kaisi ho

Ae wadi shehzadi apni kya likhun
Har pal teri yaad sataati rehti hai
Aati jaati har ek saans yeh kehti hai
Jaan ka kya aati jaati rehti hai

Ek din tumse milne wapas aaunga
Kya hai dil mein sab kuch tumhe bataunga
Kuch barso se toot gaya hoon
Khandit hoon
Wadi tera beta hoon
Main pandit hoon

Kuch barso se toot gaya hoon
Khandit hoon
Wadi tera beta hoon main
Pandit hoon!