Mumbai: B town has canvassed many relevant socio-economic subjects. Flicks based on the violation of human rights have been taken on priority by the filmmakers of parallel cinema. 1947 Earth, Garam Hawa, Provoked can be quoted under some fine examples. Commercially inclined producers couldn’t gather the courage to touch these issues to avert the loss. Over a period of time producer, adapted changes due to the taste and preferences of Indian audience and started considering these offbeat topics.
Unfortunately, one trend has not changed, Kashmiri Pandit Exodus has always been untouched by the makers of B-town. There has been a beeline of movies ever since the Gujarat Riots broke out in 2002 after train coaches were set ablaze in Godhra. Nandita Das directed Firaaq, Parzania, Chand Bujh Gaya followed by Dev in which Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor was in the lead role. Later came a movie “Kai Po Che” a commercially hit movie, which had the sufferings of the victim of Gujarat in the concluding part.
There are majorly four movies based on Gujarat riots 2002, but a movie based on the biggest massacre which forced Kashmiri Pundits to leave their homeland has not hogged even one-fourth of the headlines. In fact, there is only one movie based on this subject and it is titled “Sheen”.
The lead role in this movie is played by actor turned politician Raj Babbar, who has essayed the role of a Kashmiri Pandit and Anup Soni has played the role of Islamic fundamentalist. The movie was produced and Directed by Ashoke Pandit. Interestingly, this movie failed to find television rights of high profile channels due to the technical flaws. Although Sheen can be seen on You-Tube and B string movie channels provided by the DTH Operators.
While the Kashmiri Pundits await the justice the Indian audience too awaits a technically sound movie based on this horrendous event that can portray the suffering of KP’s at the hand of Salafism.For that B-town needs to shun its strategic Silence.