Sustaining Hope Across the Border. Review on Sarbjit

A true story of an Indian who wandered into Pakistan territory, was captured, labelled as a terrorist and was killed in a Pakistani jail as a fall out of the hanging in India of Kasab and Afsal Guru – the terrorists.

‘Sarbjit’ could easily be nominated in the ‘Best Film Category of 2016’ with outstanding performances that may win Awards for the lead cast and the film.

The movie highlights the plight of families of those Indians who accidentally wander into Pakistani territory, who are then captured, brutally tortured and left languishing in their jails without any hope of being released.

No country in the world knows Pakistan better than India. We know them inside out. America realized it too late and hence the Osama encounter which nailed Pakistan as a Liar and a Terrorist Hub. The entire world is aware that Pakistan Government is impotent and cannot deliver. It is only their Military & the ISI who call the shots and they mislead the nation into believing a lie while hiding the truth in order to fulfil their Agenda which is to destabilize India. Having lost 3 wars including Kargil, they are well convinced that India is invincible. The only way they can hold India to ransom is by using the innocent Indians who stray into Pakistan territory, portraying them as spies and terrorists, being fully aware that their country does not offer anything worthwhile to attract an Indian.

Story: On one occasion when Sarbjit(Randeep Hooda) was drunk, he lost his way home and accidentally entered the Pakistan territory. He is caught and tortured into confessing that he is ‘Ranjit Singh’ an Indian who carried out bomb attacks in Pakistan. Dalbir(Aishwarya Rai), Sarbjit’s sister and Sukhpreet(Richa Chadda) his wife are determined to rescue him. Their pleas to the Indian Government makes little progress and while years pass by, it is after 18 years that they visit Sarbjit in Pakistan where they are briefly allowed to meet for just 47 minutes. Awais Sheikh(Darshan Kumar) is a Pakistani lawyer who decides to fight for the release of Sarbjit and proves to be immensely helpful.  He decides to find ‘Ranjit Singh’ the actual culprit which would prove that Sarbjit is not Ranjit. Ranjit is caught and Sarbjit is cleared of all charges. However, before his release from jail he is killed by inmates motivated by Taliban to avenge the hanging of Kasab and Afzal Guru.

Cast: Awesome performance of cast across the board. However, performances of Randeep Hooda(Sarbjit), Aiswarya Rai(Sarbjit’s sister) and Richa Chadda(Sarbjit’s wife) were outstanding and absolutely brilliant.

Direction: To direct a film such as ‘Sarbjit’ requires certain skill set to successfully deliver a challenging script and you will note that Omung Kumaar has the vision and determination to excel when it comes to biopics. He has gone into every detail to ensure that the viewer is engaged and deeply involved in the story. The screenplay was mesmerizing and the make-up & camerawork was flawless. The songs had their apt placement with meaningful lyrics and impactful visuals.

Pros: The film succeeds in highlighting that the fight for Sarbjit did not go in vain though he was killed in Pakistan. His name was cleared from being a terrorist. His case drew worldwide attention and proved the high handedness of the corrupt Pakistan military who go to any extent to subvert the truth.

Cons: The editing is haphazard. Some of the scenes are inserted abruptly as if to fill in the gap and did not seem to have any meaningful purpose. Not much attention was given to the props. While being taken to court in Pakistan, Sarbjit hides 4-5 sheets of paper under his garment and is shown scribbling on crumpled papers. When these papers reach his sister(Aishwarya Rai), they are crisp 4-5 pages letter written in neat straight lines with good handwriting. In another scene, Sarbjit’s sister is not allowed to carry her spectacles in the Pakistani jail but when she meets Sarbjit, she is wearing them. No care was taken to manage the switch between flashback scenes and the present. At times they appeared incoherent.

Lessons from this true story:

• Anyone including you and me could one day land up in a situation similar to that of Sarabjit(not necessarily trespassing) whether in India or elsewhere

• Commitment to family relations is paramount to have a solid bonding as was displayed by Sarabjit’s sister and wife who did not give up till the end

• In the fast paced world of today it requires more than commitment to not only maintain relations but to fight daily challenges and go out of the way to help your loved ones to come out of a hopeless situation

• Commitment of an Indian wife who took the responsibility of raising two children in the absence of her husband without being selfish

• Not all Pakistani civilians are against India and do not agree with the views of their military

• Sarabjit was mercilessly killed in Pakistan for no fault of his and there would be many Sarabjit’s in India and around the world who could be innocent and languishing in jails awaiting trial.

• A Pakistani killing an innocent Indian is no different than an Indian killing an innocent Indian in India. We do not need a Pakistani to kill an Indian when we have Indians raping and murdering Indians in India. They are worse than Pakistanis.

• Media is a powerful tool that grabs the attention of public & the authorities forcing a speedy outcome. Sarbjit’s case caught the attention of Human Rights in Canada who offered to help

• Seek and you will find, Ask and you will receive, Knock and the door will be opened to you

Conclusion: ‘Sarbjit’ is not suitable for all viewers. The film is outright serious and strictly for a mature audience. The screenplay is intense and can drain you emotionally hence keep some tissues handy. Though you may not know Sarbjit personally, you will empathize with his family and with every Indian who is currently in a Pakistani jail. If you are overwhelmed with the problems of your life and feel it is too much for you to bear, then this film is for you. It may either make you feel that you are not alone battling, or your problems may appear diminished. I suggest, watch it for your Indian brother ‘Sarabjit’ who did not give up but dared to face the torture of the Pakistanis and kept hopes alive of returning back to India for over two decades.