Go watch Parzania

I managed to watch Parzania last week. It is based on the true story of a young Parsi boy, Azhar who has been missing since 2002.

It is a must -watch for anyone who is interested in Gujarat, 2002. It protrays exactly what happened in Feb-April 2002 and the complicity of the state administration, down to references to the now notorious cabinet meeting where Narendra Modi reportedly told the police to give the Hindutvavadis a free hand. The continuing hold of the Sangh Parivar in Gujarat is clear from the fact that no theatre is willing to screen the movie there.

Sarika was wonderful as Shernaz and Naseeruddin Shah was well, Naserduddin Shah and the two children were great. I especially liked the protrayal of intimacy between the couple and bonding between the parents and children. Those scenes were realistic. I have to add that I have some problems with the story - Allen, the American seemed a bit jarring to me in the first half. Also, the Gandhian who was sitting around pontificating about the Mahatma and his ideology when the city was burning and manages to bring about a transformation in Allen's attitude didn't seem very Gandhian to me (remember Noakhali?).

Azhar's parents hoped that if the moview was screened in Gujarat, that could help bring their son back to them. Now that is not going to be as long as Gujarat is being held hostage by thugs and fascists.