Haider- an untold story of Kashmir Vale

And the trilogy is complete betwixt much brawling and mixed reaction from the audience across the country. Vishal Bhradwaj’s Haider completed his literature guru’s Shakespeare trilogy along with Maqbool and Omkara. Haider is an adaptation of Hamlet while Maqbool and Omkara were inspired by Macbeth and Othello respectively. Haider- a well drafted film framed in Kashmir is beyond the scenic beauty, snow, hills, Jhelum and honeymoon locale like rest of the movies has portrayed earlier. The movie revolves around the bloodshed Kashmir of mid 90s struggling to get out of the curfews, Kashmiri pundits and Muslims walking on drop dead streets protesting and setting each other’s house on fire and the dark side of Indian Army. The Kashmir never seen before!

Haider aka hamlet has turned out to be a hot cake for politician, socialists and pseudo-patriot advocating to boycott the movie #boycottHaider on social networking sites. For some the movie is Anti- Indian Army, for some Anti- Indian and for some (quite baseless) Anti- Modi. A post read on FB- “#BoycottHaider - why show that Muslims were victims in Kashmir in 90s, when it was actually the Kashmiri Pundits who suffered bcoz of them?” So my stand is- why a film when made in India should always revolve around the victimization of Hindus?” Both the communities had suffered and still struggling to get into normal talking terms. Cleaving a state on the basis of community will never change the situation.

Moreover, India is a secular country and every Indian has got right of expression as one of his fundamental rights.  Getting biased on behavior of Indian army towards Kasmhiris, be it Hindu or Muslim, will never unmasked the other side of the coin. “Hum hain, ki hum nahi?” – The most powerful lines delivered by Haider aka Shahid Kapoor clearly reveals the exasperation, pain and discontent of the kashmiris. The film approximately has earned over 20 crore in first three days also revealed the fake encounters and the behavior of Indian Army at the detention centers.

The movie should have been boycott for the more- than- reality blood shedding scenes. The bomb- blast, blood brimming out of the pieces of the body part, the blown blooded legs of Irfaan and red blood prevailed can give nightmares to many audiences. Amazed the way the whole film was dragged on to political and religious platform. The too-much of violence sometimes can provoke the religious sentiments. Like every movie of Vishal, including Kaminey, Maqbool and Omkara- the violence is the factor that should have been edited. It was not protested earlier, then why should it be now?

‘Defamation’ of Indian Army is not new! So wasn’t Indian Army pushed into sadistic light when - Indian army Captain Basant Kumar Chaudhary of Rajputana Rifels sexually harassed a women travelling in the same AC coach (2013), Indian Army trooper molested and misbehaved with tourists at Islamabad (2011), Major Chandra Pratap Singh and Captain Mahesh, as well as that of Lieutenant Colonel Pratap Singh and Major Kavi trashed the cops and misbehaved with women Kolkata (2007), Indian Army officers sold army’s weapons illegally (2014)?

The truth gets bitter if unveiled. Why didn’t the politicians, socialist and Pseudo- patriots advocated for boycotting Indian Army then? Of course, boycotting earlier would not swipe them into lime light. Boycotting against critical and big name Vishal Bhardwaj will turn them into god among the political and religious thekedaars.

Getting back to the movie, Basharat Peer, former editor India Ink- who dared to pen down the truth is the Villain of the Valley. Giving story telling a new dimension, he has set a perfect example of how to convert novel into a well framed script of the film.

Critics have raved about the visual poetry of the movie. But at the end of the film, it is the prose that stays. Tabbu as Ghazala has made a strong come back and is drop dead beautiful as before. The effortless acting by Shahid (haider), K. K Menon (Khurram) and Irrfan Khan (roohdaar) was hard hitting. The passionate relationship between Shahid and Tabu onscreen, revealing the Oedipus complex was something Indian audience will never relate to.

What really makes Vishal Bhardwaj’s movie infinite time watchable is the strong female protagonist. Haider should have been named ‘Ghazala’, Ishiqiya should be replaced by “krishna’ and “7 khoon maaf” as Susanna. Ghazal as Tabbu was torn between her own sexual desire, principled husband and her moody son. Her puffy eyes, dark smoky make up, her voice made the character strong and vulnerable. Ghazala – the lady showed her strong side from a perfect home maker to mother consoling her blood drenched son to surrender to lady all set to fly looking at sky after she pulls the pins of the bombs. Ghazala is an extension of the women in Vishal’s film- strong and Independent, with ability to string men along.

Krishna of Ishqiya is sexually liberated and unafraid to manipulate man and too straight forward to handle. While Susanna holding revolver and killing each man after marrying showed the unputdownable attitude. And though Kareena Kapoor’s Bolly may have has the chunkier presence as Desdemona in this Othello remake; it is Konkana SenSharma’s Indu- a woman who sees her man committing atrocity after another, but not afraid to step in when it comes to making him pay for his actions. The lady with sickle in her hand, slashing her husband’s throat, her husband all blood drenched – is another woman from Vishal’s world.  

Martand Temple, the location of the Bismil song is another reason of boycotting the movie. Shahid Kapoor dancing in shoes inside the temple premise got a roaring protest. So why Goliyon ki Rassleel: Ramleela- Ranveer Singh starrer movie was not boycott when Hindu god Hanuman, ram and goddess Sita are dancing on the electric music? It didn’t hurt the hindu sentiments or the so called hindu facebook users enjoyed the show? I guess, the box office collection of 1.13 billion is an answer to it.

Why to entangle a pre-complicated issue?  

The one who has read “hamlet” can figure out that Shakespeare suggested that- there is no point in blindly following the king. Vishal has replaced the king with the leadership of separatists. While Claudius killed his brother for the throne, here Khurram colludes with State to eliminate his brother to get political mileage. The film is more about the trauma faced by the family, jingoism and the dirty political games involving the Indian Army. Though, the movie has sustained well. The total approximate domestic collection of the movie is approx Rs 26.78 crore.

Vishal  Bhardwaj ended the movie at a strong note “Revenge begets revenge”. Or in Gandhiji’s words- “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind”.  Shahid Kapoor lost his loved one in the race of revenge. Blood shedding will worsen the situation while bonding will build a new azad Kashmir.