Haider- an opinion

Haider: An Opinion.

I saw the movie and it is a wonderful movie. It is undoubtedly Shahid Kapoor and Tabu’s best performance so far. The movie is a must watch for its intense drama. However, there is a streak in me which did not approve of the movie.

Before I begin I need to reiterate that such movies should have had to be vetted by the J&K Police, and the Army before being cleared by the Censor Board.

I was shocked to see how the Indian Army was humiliated by a great filmmaker. Army had to blow up the house with a held up militant, who caused casualties of the army troops, and suddenly Army is the villain and the person hiding the militant is a victim? My dad was posted in Srinagar during the 90s and everytime we heard the news of a “fallen” soldier, I would blame the family in Srinigar who hid militants in their homes. They put our fathers’ life in danger, how are they the victims?

The army had to do what it did in the valley back in those days. But those were the days when militancy was at its peak in the valley and it was hard to identify a militant from a civilian. The valley is so peaceful today, because of the Army!

And then the other anomaly seems to be the torture by J&K Police. Indian Army or Police do not do water boarding as a policy as shown in the movie. Obviously this electric treatments, shooting down captured prisoners, etc, just does not happen as policy.

I have been to Kashmir and I am in awe of Indian Army. They are helpful and their work on developing infrastructure in the valley is commendable. I refuse to believe that if a civilian came to an Army jawan with pictures of his dad, the jawan would throw all the pictures in the air like shown in the movie. I did not understand the need of scenes like those in the film.

Apparently, the censor board approved Haider after asking for 41 cuts. Obviously this movie was supposed to be a much bigger and more venomous attack on Indian Army - but something unexpected happened - the Kashmir Floods. Indian public may have a very short memory but the floods happened right before the release of the movie and in that the Army Jawans sacrificed their lives saving the Kashmiris, or more importantly, the people of Srinagar.

After they state on the screen:

"IN THE LAST TWO DECADES, THOUSANDS OF LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST IN THE KASHMIR CONFLICT"

They feel compelled to state:

"IN THE RECENT DEVASTATING FLOODS IN KASHMIR, THE INDIAN ARMY SAVED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS. WE SALUTE THEIR THEIR EFFORTS AND VALOUR."

So, we make a movie to demean them and then we have had to salute their efforts and valor. Such is the cruel turn of events.

However, One ought to remember that films are made for public viewing and not a niche audiences.

So, watch the movie for its intense drama and fabulous performances. Also, spare a thought for the Kashmiri's and displaced Kashmiri pandits who have lost their home and their loved ones in this conflict.