While we are blessed to celebrate our 75th Independence Day on the 14th of August, the horror stories of mass massacres linger somewhere in our thoughts as we pay tribute to our ancestors for their numerous sacrifices. The stories of those who were uprooted from their land, and forced to leave their homes, life, and even loved ones behind have occasionally been captured in the arts, in the form of paintings, literature, theatre, short films, and cinema. Here are some heart-wrenching movies and series to feel the essence of those sacrifices and be even more grateful for our beautiful country.
Dastaan
Is a Pakistani TV series based on the novel Bano by Razi Butt. Broadcast on HUM TV in 2010, encapsulating the partition of the Indian Subcontinent, resulting in the independence of Pakistan-the story takes place takes place between 1947 and 1956. The drama depicts the story of Bano, a girl from a close-knit Muslim family living in the pre-1947 era. The story is about the trials and tribulations Bano faces after she decides to dedicate her life to the All-India Muslim League and depicts true incidents of the historical Indo-Pak partition.
Home1947
A series of seven short films by the two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy reflected upon the largest mass migration ever witnessed, marking the 70th year since it took place. HOME1947 put a human face on history and asked what it means to find and feel at home.
More than 10 million people were displaced in 1947 during the creation of two new independent states, India and Pakistan. HOME 1947 brought a powerfully personal perspective to their collective story – through a series of short drama and documentary films, a gallery installation, and an elegiac reimagining of a century-old house, recreating the long-lost sights, sounds, vividly, and smells of what millions once called home.
As the refugee crisis continues to affect millions across the world, HOME 1947 showed us this world not through the words of historians and politicians, but through the eyes of those who lived through it.
Jinnah
An epic biopic, this is a stalwart tear-jerker based on the events surrounding the liberation and subsequent Partition of the subcontinent. The film, directed by Jamil Dehlavi, follows the life of the beloved founder of our country, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, with actor Christopher Lee portraying the coveted role. When released, it had people leaving the theatre with tears in their eyes – a perfect Independence Day watch any year!
Hangor
The telefilm is about the action of the Submarine Hangor S131 that defeated the enemy, during the 1971 war. It was a major act of bravery by the Pakistan Navy that resulted in great loss to the enemy in their waters, followed by Hangor’s strategic journey back to the Pakistan Navy Dockyard in Karachi, safe and sound. This particular event incorporating Hangor is distinguished in naval history for being the first and only successful kill by a conventional submarine after World War II, which makes this an honor for Pakistan Navy and a huge pride for the Nation.
Ramchand Pakistani
Chronicling actual events, Mehreen Jabbar’s “Ramchand Pakistani” (2008) is a quiet movie about waiting. Will the family get reunited? When we wait, we hold our breath. When we hold our breath, we wonder when we can breathe again. The movie encapsulates how the lives of the commoner have changed since the partition as Ramchand, A 7-year-old Pakistani Hindu boy and his father accidentally cross the border and spend years in an Indian jail while the mother on the other side is clueless about their whereabouts. The movie is a brilliant glimpse into the lives of people like us, after the partition, and is a must-watch!