In the last week, I watched Parzania, Black Friday and Straight. Parzania was about this Parsi boy who went missing in the Gujarat riots and recently it came in the news that he has been declared dead. According to Indian law, all missing persons after 7 years are declared dead legally if not found. It is a very touching movie. It is in English and it was about an Ahmedabad I was not aware of. Some of the facts it unveiled were clearly disturbing and shocking.
The second movie I watched was Black Friday. This movie is about the Bombay blasts of 1993 and methodically traced the events leading upto the blasts right from Babri Masjid, Bombay riots and then showed the entire investigations and chargesheeting of culprits. This movie like Parzania is based on true events and was shocking in its contents and revelations.
I was in Mumbai when the riots and the blasts took place but luckily was unscathed because I was in an upmarket, more insulated area. My entire family was in Ahmedabad at the time of the riots but again maybe because we were Hindus who lived in more upscale areas, we were not touched with the tragedy. Nonetheless, tragedies they were and they did forever alter the terrorism that India has been facing in all these years. They are also shameful reminders of the atrocities that have been committed in the name of religion and innocent people mislead and killed. Some of the high-profile people and politicians involved are still roaming scotfree. It repulses and saddens me.
These are sad and tragic tales which are eye openers even for reasonably well informed people like me. At least, they provide courage and strength for us to speak up against these evils prevailing in our society.
Straight was a light-hearted movie about a restauranteur based in London and his struggles with finding about his sexual orientation and also a bride for himself. A funny movie endearing because of some good performances. Amazing, how far the Indian cinema has progressed !