Story - Firaaq

Firaaq is an Urdu word that means both separation and quest. The film is a work of fiction, based on a thousand stories.

The story is set over a 24-hour period, one month after a campaign that took place in Gujarat, India, in 2002. It traces the emotional journey of ordinary people- some who were victims, some perpetrators and some who choose to watch silently. As an ensemble film, it follows multiple narratives that are at some times interconnected and at times discreet, yet all are united by their spatial and emotional context.

A middle class housewife closes the door on a woman desperately seeking refuge, and then struggles to overcome her guilt. The loyalty of two best friends is challenged in times rife with fear and suspicion. A group of victimized young men seek revenge as a way out of their helplessness and anger. A modern day Hindu-Muslim couple struggle between the survival instinct to hide their true identities and the desire to assert them. A boy having lost most of his family in the riots wanders through the streets searching for his missing father. A saintly musician clings on to his idealism until an evidence of civil strife shakes his faith.

Through these characters we trace the ways in which violence impacts both inner and outer lives. Violence spares nobody. Yet in the midst of this madness, some find it in their hearts to sing hopeful songs for better times.

Firaaq is a thought provoking docu-drama that tugs at your heart strings

Firaaq takes place over a 24 hour period, a month after the infamous Godhra incident which led to horrific communal carnage all across Gujarat. More of a docu-drama, it narrates six independent stories including that of Aarti (Deepti Naval), a housewife who is silently haunted by the image of a Muslim woman begging for sanctuary. Then there is Khan Saheb (Naseer), a renowned musician who lives in a Hindu area, and teaches classical music. He cannot understand the destruction of his familiar world, and naively assumes that it is possible for the two communities to live together. There is also Muneera (Shahana), who hides with friends during the violence, and returns to her home to find it burned to the ground, Sameer (Suri), a young, dashing, wealthy Muslim married to a Hindu Anuradha (Tisca), who is torn between the dilemma of staying in Ahmedabad or leaving for another city where he and his wife might be safer and finally, there are the stories of other hapless Muslims, who make incompetent plots to take revenge.

Despite choosing such a heavy subject for her directorial debut, actress Nandita Das has succeeded in handling it with utmost sensitivity and technical finesse. With an able technical support from India’s finest technicians such as cameraman Ravi K. Chandran (Ghajini, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) and editor Sreekar Prasad (Guru, Yuva) Nandita has managed to assemble and ensemble cast of talented actors which take the film to a completely different level. The stories are not exactly interwoven but do manage to strike a chord. Firaaq’s strength lies in focusing on ordinary Hindus and Muslims whose lives were affected by the riots. Nandita barely resorts to showing graphic violence on screen and fear, anger and anxiety are all understated.

Paresh Rawal in a serious role after a long time is a treat to watch. Sanjay Suri carries one of his most difficult roles with aplomb. Tisca playing his wife lends able support. Shahana Goswami post Rock On delivers yet another award worthy performance. But it the performances of Naseeruddin Shah and Deepti Naval that linger on in you your mind long after the film is over.

Firaaq is not meant for the faint hearted or those seeking two hours of time pass. It shows us the uncomfortable truths and painful reality in which the people of our country must live, as they set about repairing the destroyed trust between two communities.