PARTITION

Canada, 2007, 116 minutes, Colour.
Jimi Mistry, Kristen Kreuk, Neve Campbell, John Light, Irfan Khan, Madhur Jaffri.
Directed by Vic Sarron.

Writer-director Vic Sarin was born in India then his family migrated to Canada. Obviously, his Indian heritage is important to him, especially the memories of the partition between India and Pakistan in 1947 with the consequent mass migrations of Hindus to India and Muslims to Pakistan and the million who died, many massacred, in this event. This is the background to this story of love and doom.

Opening in 1941, the film introduces us, via a polo tournament to the Indians and the British who live and work in India. War has broken out and India is involved. The action moves quickly to 1946, the aftermath of the war and the deaths as well as the return of the Indians to their homes, villages and farms.

An unrecognisable Jimi Mistry portrays Gian, a good man who wants no more deaths after his sad experiences in the trenches in Burma. With him is his friend Avtar (Irfan Khan) whose anger is roused by the Muslim migrants and who participates in a local massacre. A young woman, Naseem (Kristin Kreuk), escapes and is sheltered by Gian. While the villagers are hostile, Gian saves Naseem and gradually she settles into the patterns of the town. Gian travels to Delhi to try to find the location of her family in Lahore and is helped by an old friend, Margaret (Neve Campbell).

Eventually, Naseem is able to visit her family but they are still full of hatred against the Hindus who killed their father. Gian goes in search of her with their young son.

Suprisingly, much of the film, the mustard plant fields, the border, were filmed in Canada. However, there is also a great deal of location photography in India, particularly in Delhi. This creates an authentic atmosphere, even beautiful, despite some of the horrifying and tragic events.

The latter part of the film is highly emotional, melodramatic, with a passionate love story.

Sarin's film is heartfelt and is a personalised way of communicating a message of peace, harmony and tolerance which was so much lacking in the partition.

For a more sombre and penetrating film on partition, Deepa Mehta's Earth is recommended.

1.The impact of the film? As history, the subcontinent? A love story?

2.Audience knowledge of partition, of the British Empire in India, of the changes in the 20th century, the experience of World War Two, the partition of Pakistan and India, the consequences, the massacres?

3.India from the 1940s to the 1950s? The Canadian locations for India, the Indian locations? Delhi, the village, the countryside? The flashbacks to war and the trenches in Burma? The atmosphere? The musical score, the serious and the romantic moods?

4.1941, the British club, the polo, the Indian and British players, Gian and his friendship with Margaret, with Andrew? With Avtar? Andrew being called up and going to war? The introduction to Walter, his role as a journalist?

5.1946, Andrew’s death in the war, Gian’s return, with Avtar? The background leading up to partition, the politics, the role of Gandhi? 1947, the people trekking to Pakistan, the train trips back to India? The visualising of the massacres? The hatred, the vengeance? The scenes on the border?

6.The flashbacks for Gian, Andrew, in the trenches, his whistle, the water, his drowning, Gian shooting him, intending to give the whistle to Margaret, his not giving it, returning it later?

7.The impact of the war on Gian, his wanting peace?

8.His return, the visit to Margaret, her comment about Walter’s article and Andrew’s heroism?

9.Returning to the village, reunited with his mother, Avtar in the village, working the farm, the mustard? Seeing the trek of the Muslims? The militant group, Avtar and the slaughter of the Muslims? The Muslim father’s death, Naseem and her running away, the village man pursuing her? Hiding, Gian finding her, giving her his coat because she was cold?

10.Gian taking her home, the threats of the village, his stances, at the door, protecting Naseem, the killer and his anger? His attack on Naseem during the feast and celebration? Avtar and his becoming more moderate? His mother, her harsh stances, the other women in the village who had lost family in the massacres, their anger? Gian and his offering his money, his friend from the shop taking up the collection? Pacifying the people?

11.Gian and his life, his work on the farm, with Naseem at home? Protecting her? Her getting water at the well, helping the girl who slipped, becoming friends, their being together, at the feast and celebration, the attack? Her gratitude towards Gian? The love? Marrying him? The celebration?

12.Gian and his trips to Delhi, the request to find out where Naseem’s family was, enlisting Margaret’s help? Margaret and her work in Delhi? Not returning to England? The official and his putting the request at the bottom of the pile? Walter, after the war, inheriting the hotel in Lahore, Margaret and her job in Pakistan, her later coming with the papers for Naseem’s trip, discovering that she was not a girl but Gian’s wife? Margaret’s own emotional attachment to Gian?

13.The passing of the years, Gian and Naseem’s son, the happiness? Naseem and the preparation to go to Pakistan? Gian at home, ordinary life, his mother, with his son? No news from Pakistan? His decision to travel? Changing his appearance, cutting his hair, the importance of this as a Sikh? His assuming a Muslim name, clothes? Going to the border with his son? The refusal? His climbing under the fence, finding Naseem, finding her imprisoned?

14.Gian and his not receiving any letters? Naseem and her being in the home, imprisoned by her brothers? Her mother agreeing with this? Her attempts to escape? Seeing Gian? Gian and the brothers attacking him, his being arrested, Margaret witnessing this?

15.Gian in prison, Walter’s visit, trying to persuade him to go home? At the station, with his son, buying the sweets?

16.Naseem and her mother, her mother allowing her out, her hurrying to the station, her brother’s pursuit? Seeing Gian? His being on the other side of the tracks? Their meeting on the overpass? The brother pursuing, the fight, Gian’s falling to his death?

17.The sadness of the ending, Naseem and her son in London with Margaret? Margaret going home to Britain? The Indians in the United Kingdom, a new life?

18.A blend of historical background along with the romance and the melodrama? An effective way of communicating history to a popular audience?