Page 60 - 15SEPT2018E

OPINION
DILEMMAS
HUMRA
QURAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include Kashmir: The
Untold Story. She co-
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
TEHELKA / 15 SEPTEMBER 2018 60 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
60-61 Opinion Humra.indd 2 9/1/2018
SOCIETY & CULTURE
Light of love still alights
amid darkness of hate
Today, India needs Sant Kabir more than ever, who could rip off
the hypocrisy of the well-masked, deceitful political mafias and the
third-class politics holding sway and promote peace among people
es, madness is spread- been witnessing communal violence in
ing out.We are living in all its horrifying hues and forms.
dark times, where one Love jihad killings took off from
is not too sure what the Uttar Pradesh, before spreading out
next day would bring to the other BJP ruled states of the
Y along, unfold, hold out! country. Even today, a Muslim or a
Violence has been accelerating in the Dalit is apprehensive of befriending
last four years, peaking as never before. an upper caste Hindu, because the
Today, you and I can be killed, lynched, local goons will not just intrude and
threatened, on any possible alibi — right interfere but kill the lovers out there, in
from selling cattle to trading beef, broad daylight. And, if one were to talk
if not cooking and consuming it. Not to of lynching by gau-rakshaks (though I
overlook the other dreaded alibi for get- prefer to call them goons and gangsters nudging one into thinking sense, • Peace in pieces UP has been witnessing relatives pitched in. I have avoided
ting hacked and hounded in today’s so of the worst kind), then once again, if not guiding towards introspec- violence in all its horrifying hues and forms using big Bollywood names or
called ‘developed’ times. The BJP coined Uttar Pradesh tops the list. There is that tion, along the strain of that much flashy sets and elaborate platforms
love jihad, where a Muslim or a Hindu constant scare amongst the members needed fearlessness to speak out for the film, as the basic purpose of
has to think a hundred times before dar- of the minority communities for get- the truth and expose the layers of the film is for the ground realities
ing to fall in love and marry the other. ting targeted and killed by rightwing hypocrisy and deceit. to be shown as clearly as possible to
No explanations or counter explana- brigades roaming about, all along the Probably, Shahid’s undying faith the viewer. After all, these horrific
tions are sought and, of course, no hope highways and inner roads of this state, in Kabir held sway all through the incidents were taking place right
of protection by the political rulers of all too eager to kill. making of this feature film. After all, in front of us; all that one had to do
the day who seem hell bent on following In fact, it wouldn’t be incorrect to say Shahid comes across rather fearless was to put them on the screen for
a divisive agenda. that those not officially killed in the vari- in projecting the ground realities in public viewing.”
And, if you are keen to witness the ous encounters by the governmental his debut film. Whilst keying in, I am left won-
dark realities of the day, its best to view machinery are killed rather too unof- Stark and raw they stand out on dered how the long departed Kabir
Shahid Kabeer’s debut feature film ficially by these goon brigades nurtured the screen, with seemingly little would have reacted to one of his
— Unmaad. and pampered by the political mafia of dilutions and coatings. And with If you are keen modern-day admirers making this
I was somewhat intrigued by the the day. that in the foreground or backdrop hard-hitting film on the atrocities
offbeat name of the film, till of course, Perhaps, another reason for Shahid one of my queries for to witness the taking place in north India, the
he took pains to explain that Unmaad Kabeer to opt for Uttar Pradesh is his Shahid was this — how difficult it dark realities belt where this mystic poet lived
stands for madness of a certain kind. absolute fascination for the 15th was for him to make this film? and died. Lying well tucked in his
“When passion crosses all limits, a century mystic poet, Kabir. So much “As a film maker I had to show of the day, its grave in Uttar Pradesh’s Maghar
certain level of madness overtakes so that Shahid has even added ‘Kabeer’ what’s been happening ...it was best to view (a town and a nagar panchayat in
and over-rules,with that, sane thinking to his name and also named his produc- important for me to portray all that, Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar
and saner elements are pushed into tion company — Kabeera. He tells me on the big screen. After all, there Shahid Kabeer’s Pradesh) I am certain Kabir would
the background by surcharged politics that the very significance of that mystic is little point making a film if one be at ease; at least someone out
holding sway,”said Kabeer. poet’s verse holds out in these troubled cannot show as starkly as possible debut feature there is showing the ground reali-
In fact, this Mumbai-based film- times, after all, Kabir spoke out ever what’s been on and ongoing in film — Unmaad, ties and ripping off the hypocrisy of
maker and theatre director, decided to so constantly for unmasking hypocrisy, certain belts of the country.” the well-masked, deceitful political
shoot this low-budget film in his home for exposing the evil doers and the “Yes, initially we faced hurdles which stands for mafia and the third class politics
town, Saharanpur, in Western Uttar fake camouflaged in various hues and in terms of finances but we man- madness of holding sway.
Pradesh. Perhaps, for several specific forms. Pick up any of his verse/dohas aged to collect the required funds
reasons. After all, Uttar Pradesh, has and each one of them relays a message, through public funding. Friends and a certain kind LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
TEHELKA / 15 SEPTEMBER 2018 61 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
3:34:43 PM 60-61 Opinion Humra.indd 3 9/1/2018 3:34:49 PM