3 weeks ago
Indian Filmmakers and Writers Re-Engage with Pakistan Through Compassionate Art
Many movies, books and plays from India are now telling stories about people who travel to Pakistan.
These stories show that people on both sides of the border have many things in common.
In the movie 'Ikkis', an old Indian soldier visits Pakistan to see the place where his son fought during a war.
In another movie, 'Main Vaapas Aaungaa', a grandfather who had to leave his hometown remembers the girl he loved there.
A famous book called 'Tomb of Sand' tells the story of an old woman who goes back to Pakistan after many years.
These stories help people find peace and heal old wounds from long ago.
Some stories from the past showed Pakistani soldiers as bad people, but these new stories show them as humans too.
Many years ago, families were divided when the countries of India and Pakistan were created.
The artists making these stories want to remind everyone that kindness and friendship matter more than fighting.
They hope these tales can bring people closer together, instead of pushing them apart.
Sriram Raghavan's 2026 film 'Ikkis' follows retired Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal (Dharmendra) on an emotional trip to Sargodha, Pakistan, to visit the site of his son's martyrdom in the 1971 war.
Imtiaz Ali's 'Main Vaapas Aaungaa' (2026) stars Naseeruddin Shah as Ishar Singh Grewal, whose grandson Nirvair (Diljit Dosanjh) returns to Sargodha to reconnect him with his first love and Partition-era memories.
Geetanjali Shree's Booker-winning 'Ret Samadhi' (translated as 'Tomb of Sand'), Sachin NG's 'Dear Zahira, With Love' and Sarnath Banerjee's 'Absolute Jafar' treat Indo-Pak journeys as paths to closure and healing.
Rajkumar Santoshi's 'Batwara 1947', adapted from Asghar Wajahat's play 'Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya O Jamya E Nahi', releases on 14 August with Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi and Abhimanyu Singh.
The article cites cross-border cultural exchanges, including Pakistani comedian Rauf Lala winning 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' in 2006 and Shilpa Rao recording 'Paar Chanaa De' for Coke Studio Pakistan in 2016.
- Who
- Filmmakers, writers and theatre artists including Sriram Raghavan, Imtiaz Ali, Geetanjali Shree, Sachin NG, Sarnath Banerjee and Arvind Gaur
- What
- Creating films, novels and plays that depict emotional journeys to Pakistan, exploring Partition trauma and humanizing the 'other side'
- Where
- India and Pakistan, with stories set in Sargodha, Lahore and at the Wagah border
- When
- Films 'Ikkis' and 'Main Vaapas Aaungaa' are set for 2026; 'Batwara 1947' is slated for release on 14 August
- Why
- To offer an alternative vision of India-Pakistan engagement marked by mutual respect, forgiveness and healing of repressed Partition trauma
Humanistic Engagement
Nationalist Aggression
Portrayal of Pakistani soldiers in Indian cinema
Humanistic Engagement
Films like 'Ikkis' humanize Pakistani soldiers, showing them as individuals doing their duty who deserve empathy, not caricature.
Nationalist Aggression
Recent Hindi cinema has largely presented Pakistani soldiers as evil caricatures with no depth or nuance, featuring gung-ho nationalist war dramas.
The journey to Pakistan
Humanistic Engagement
Traveling to Pakistan is portrayed as a psychological necessity and a path to catharsis, healing repressed Partition trauma and family dysfunction.
Nationalist Aggression
'Why don't you go to Pakistan?' is used as a taunt and default right-wing riposte to critics, reflecting deep-seated fear and enmity.
India-Pakistan relations
Humanistic Engagement
Regular people on both sides of the border value humanity over aggression; periods like the 'Aman Ki Asha' campaign showed the potential for cultural closeness.
Nationalist Aggression
The constant quarrel between the nations is sinister and often leads to violence, with paranoia and conspiracy theories dominating public expression.
Key facts
- Films discussed
- Ikkis (2026), Main Vaapas Aaungaa (2026), Batwara 1947
- Key directors
- Sriram Raghavan, Imtiaz Ali, Rajkumar Santoshi
- Batwara 1947 release date
- 14 August
- Batwara 1947 cast
- Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Abhimanyu Singh
- Booker-winning novel referenced
- Ret Samadhi (Tomb of Sand) by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell
- Other works cited
- Dear Zahira With Love (Sachin NG), Absolute Jafar (Sarnath Banerjee), Husband of a Fanatic (Amitava Kumar)
- CSDS Partition study
- Over 1,300 survivors interviewed; over 40% reported help from 'the other side'
- Cultural exchanges cited
- Rauf Lala won The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (2006); Shilpa Rao recorded Paar Chanaa De for Coke Studio Pakistan (2016)
Quotes
Geetanjali Shree
Author of Tomb of Sand
“"Pakistan is many things to many people. But the mythic Pakistan I am talking about is, above all, a definer of Indianness"”
livemint.com
“"The constant quarrel between India and Pakistan is sinister, and often leads to a lot of violence"”
livemint.com
Vivaan Shah
Actor who played Captain Malhotra in the film Ikkis
“"I think one of the most impressive things about the screenplay of Ikkis is how it humanises the Pakistani soldier"”
livemint.com
Sources
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