Khamosh Pani
Encyclopedia
Khamosh Pani is a 2003 French
/German
production about a widowed mother and her young son set in a late 1970s village in Punjab
, Pakistan
which is coming under radical influence.
The film was released in India
too. It was shot in a village in Pakistan
and won 7 awards, including Golden Leopard
(Best Film), Best Actress and Best Direction at the 56th Locarno International Film Festival
, Switzerland
.
, Pakistan
. Ayesha's husband is dead and she manages a living from his pension and by giving Qur'an
lessons to young girls. The story begins in 1979, in a Pakistan
under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law. Zia-ul-Haq manipulated the interpretation of Islam
and misguided a whole generation of uneducated young people. These radicalized young people were needed at that time to fight the Soviets, who had occupied neighbouring Afghanistan
Saleem becomes intensely involved with a group of Islamic fundamentalists and leaves Zubeida. Ayesha is saddened to see her son change radically.
Events escalate when Sikh
pilgrims
from India
arrive in the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was left behind in 1947 during the Partition of India
. This awakens heart-rending memories.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
/German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
production about a widowed mother and her young son set in a late 1970s village in Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
which is coming under radical influence.
The film was released in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
too. It was shot in a village in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and won 7 awards, including Golden Leopard
Golden Leopard
The Golden Leopard is the top prize at the Locarno International Film Festival, an international film festival held annually in Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. Directors in the process of getting an international reputation are allowed to be entered in the competitive selection. The winning films...
(Best Film), Best Actress and Best Direction at the 56th Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Plot
Ayesha is a seemingly well-adjusted middle-aged woman whose life centres around her son Saleem -a gentle, dreamy 18-year-old, in love with Zubeida. They live in the village of Charkhi in PunjabPunjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Ayesha's husband is dead and she manages a living from his pension and by giving Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
lessons to young girls. The story begins in 1979, in a Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law. Zia-ul-Haq manipulated the interpretation of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and misguided a whole generation of uneducated young people. These radicalized young people were needed at that time to fight the Soviets, who had occupied neighbouring Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
Saleem becomes intensely involved with a group of Islamic fundamentalists and leaves Zubeida. Ayesha is saddened to see her son change radically.
Events escalate when Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
pilgrims
Pilgrims
Pilgrims , or Pilgrim Fathers , is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
arrive in the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was left behind in 1947 during the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. This awakens heart-rending memories.
Cast
- Kiron Kher
- Aamir Malik
- Arshad Mahmud
- Salman ShahidSalman ShahidSalman Shahid is an actor who has worked in many stage plays and tv shows. He recently appeared in the Bollywood film Ishqiya. The actor for many years has given Pakistan great comedy shows. His mother Khursheed Shahid was also a well known tv artist while his father Salim Shahid created programs...
- Shilpa ShuklaShilpa ShuklaShilpa Shukla is an actress known for playing the role of Bindiya Naik, a member of the Indian women's national hockey team, in the sports-oriented movie Chak De India, starring Shahrukh Khan...
- Sarfaraz Ansari
Awards
- 2003: Locarno International Film FestivalLocarno International Film FestivalThe Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
- Bronze Leopard Award (Best Actress): Kirron KherKirron KherKirron Kher is an Indian theatre, film and television actress and a TV talk show host.- Early life :Kirron Kher was born in Bangalore in a JatSikh family of Punjabi background. She was brought up in Chandigarh, Punjab, where she did her schooling and later college from Panjab University, Chandigarh...
- Don Quixote Award - Special Mention: Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Golden Leopard (Best Film): Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Prize of the Ecumenical Jury: Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Youth Jury Award - Special Mention: Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Bronze Leopard Award (Best Actress): Kirron Kher
- 2003: Nantes Three Continents Festival
- Audience Award: Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Silver Montgolfiere: Sabiha SumarSabiha SumarSabiha Sumar is a Pakistani film-maker.Born in Karachi, Sabiha Sumar studied Filmmaking and Political Science at Sarah Lawrence College in New York from 1980–83 and then read History and Political Thought at Cambridge University....
- Audience Award: Sabiha Sumar
- 2003: Karachi International Film Festival
- Special Jurors' Selection Ciepie
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Kirron KherKirron KherKirron Kher is an Indian theatre, film and television actress and a TV talk show host.- Early life :Kirron Kher was born in Bangalore in a JatSikh family of Punjabi background. She was brought up in Chandigarh, Punjab, where she did her schooling and later college from Panjab University, Chandigarh...
- Best Screenplay: Paromita Vohra
External links
- "Silent Waters" - Overview New York Times.