Khamosh Paani

What is the movie about?

Set in Pakistan of the 1979, Khamosh Paani tells the story of a Muslim widow, Ayesha being deeply troubled about her son’s transformation from a mild, affectionate teenager to a violent activist for an Islamist group that is instigating the youth of the village to join the jihad or holy war. A visiting Indian Sikh pilgrim discovers that Ayesha is his sister, who was separated from their family in the riots during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Ayesha’s non-Islamic past becomes inconvenient for her son, but for Ayesha herself, this truth has tragic social consequences. For her refusal to make a declaration of her true faith, Ayesha is ostracised by the village and country she has learnt to call her own.  

Who is it by?

Khamosh Pani was written and directed by Sabiha Sumar.

Why should I watch it?

The movie has won numerous accolades, including five awards at the 2003 Locarno International Film Festival for its depiction through one lifetime, of a woman’s choicelessness not only in the politically charged period of the partition of India and Pakistan but also in a later period of radical fundamentalism.

An edited version of the article was published in Culturama's November 2012 Issue.