Annu Kapoor starrer ‘Humare Barah’ screened at Cannes: The film raises questions on the country’s population growth and education system

Young Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s film ‘All We Imagine as Light’ will be screened in the most prestigious Palme d’Or category of the Cannes Film Festival.

After the selection of this film, the influx of young filmmakers has increased here. Large scale participation of young filmmakers is being seen in India Pavilion, Cannes Film Bazaar and activities of Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) etc.

He is also excited because this time, films of around 10 Indian filmmakers from across the world are included in the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival.

Poster of the movie ‘Humare Barah’.

The film raises many questions
Director Kamal Chandra’s debut film ‘Hamare Barah’ has garnered a lot of praise due to its different content. The film raises the question which interpretation of the religion of Islam is correct? The basic question is whether Islam adopts different standards for men and women?

The hero of the film is a true Muslim and is bound by his religious beliefs. Life did not give him the opportunity to know, understand and adopt the progressive traditions of Islam beyond the religious gurus. Therefore, he is definitely not the villain of the film.

When his wife dies while giving birth to their twelfth child due to his foolish fanaticism, he monologues at her grave saying that he never got the chance to learn anything new about Islam. Here Rukhsana’s voice over is that I became free by dying but left many women in the captivity of pain.

Actor Annu Kapoor and film makers during the screening of the film.

‘Humare Twelve’ was also discussed in the India Pavilion
Apart from Annu Kapoor and Manoj Joshi, all the actors in the film ‘Hamara Barah’ are new. It had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Bazaar. On this occasion, the film’s lead actor Annu Kapoor, director Kamal Chandra and producers Sanjay Nagpal, Virendra Bhagat and Shiv Balak Singh gave detailed information about the film.

There was a discussion on ‘Humare Barah’ in Bharat Pavilion too. The makers had named this film ‘Hum Do Hamare Barah’ but due to the pressure of the censor board, it had to be changed to ‘Humare Barah’.

On the surface it may seem that this film is directly blaming the Muslim community that they are solely responsible for increasing the population of the country. But later on, many poignant stories emerge in the background of this issue without hurting the sentiments of any community.

Virendra Bhagat, one of the producers of the film, says that all the characters in the film are Muslims and hence it is not appropriate to see the Hindu-Muslim angle in it.

Sanjay Nagpal says that population growth is a global issue which has been raised through a poignant story.

This film was also discussed in the India Pavilion of Cannes.

Film premiere will also take place in London and Dubai
After the Cannes Film Festival, the film is also to be premiered in London and Dubai. The film’s producer Ravi Gupta says that the film will be released in India and overseas on June 6 and only then will the audience’s opinion be known. Shiv Balak Singh clearly denies the possibility of hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community.

Director Kamal Chandra believes that this decision should be left to the audience. Lead actor Annu Kapoor says that whatever the truth may be, it is possible that the Muslim community may not be ready to tolerate this truth. One thing is certain that Annu Kapoor has given such a brilliant performance after a long time. He has so much mingled with the character of the main character of the film, Lucknow’s Qawwal Mansoor Ali Khan Sanjari, that it does not seem that he is acting. Manoj Joshi has also done a wonderful job in the role of a Muslim lawyer.

What is the story of the film?
60 year old Mansoor Ali Khan Sanjari (Annu Kapoor), a Qawwal of Lucknow, already has 11 children. His first wife died after giving birth to 6 children. He remarries Rukhsana, who is 30 years younger than him and has given birth to 5 children. Rukhsana becomes pregnant for the sixth time.

Khan Saheb proudly says that ‘If there is a census next year, there will be two of us in this house and twelve of us.’ Not only this, Khan Saheb has neither studied himself nor allows his children to study in government or non-government schools. They have interpreted Islam as per their convenience.

The problem arises when the lady doctor declares that if Rukhsana is not aborted, she may die while giving birth to the child. Khan Sahab’s elder daughter Alfia musters up the courage to file a case in the Lucknow Bench of the Uttar Pradesh High Court demanding that her stepmother be allowed to have an abortion.

From here the film takes a new turn and during the hearing of the case, many heart-wrenching stories come to light within the walls of the house that due to the religious fanaticism of the head of the house and the arbitrary interpretation of Islam, it is becoming difficult for the women in crores of Indian families to breathe. Is.

The film ‘Hamare Barah’ is a family film which everyone should watch. Without hurting religious sentiments, director Kamal Chandra has used emotional melodrama to express his views clearly. Even though the story of ‘Hamara Barah’ is based on Muslim society, everyone needs to learn a lesson from it.

Author: Ajit Roy (Senior journalist and film critic)