Partition

This movie was the first I've seen in a theater that was identified as a Canadian movie. I was hopeful it would be enjoyable, as the trailer online (never saw one in a theater) was promising. Very solid, very enjoyable love story with an interesting historical background. The movie had production levels I expect from standard US made movies but the storyline was a step above.

To me this movie deserves far more attention than it is getting. I suspect it is a top 10 in Canada at the moment but I've yet to find information on its ticket sales (there were 30 people there for a late-afternoon showing last Saturday).

With so much drek from the states at the moment this was a refreshing change.

Here's an oddball mix: A Canadian film dealing with a Sikh-Muslim love story set against the partition of India in 1947, with Kristin Kreuk playing the lead Muslim girl (Naseem), Neve Campbell playing a British Indian, and everyone – from the villagers to the city folk, despite being mostly uneducated - speaking English of various accent!!! The director (himself of Kashmiri descent) has SOME gall, I must say.

The camera loves Kreuk, as it should, and surprisingly enough, she gets the physical nuances right. Campbell also gives one of her more subtle performances, but the standout here is Jimi Mistry as the Sikh ex-soldier. The central love story is nothing new (the film seems like a different handling of the loud, crude, jingoistic, and ultimately inferior Indian film Gadar), and no aspect of it covers any new ground. There are some moments of poignancy and warmth, but the director moves the story along with broad strokes, instead of letting it flow and fleshing out the surrounding events. As it stands, it is all quite predictable, and some of the dialogue is atrocious. Many characters (notably Naseem's family) come across as shallow and are simply used as stereotypes, so there goes any complexity that might have been developed.

There are some beautiful shots throughout, and thankfully there are no musical interludes (which would have been likely if the film had been made in Bollywood). The child actor was also good, and I wish we could have seen more of Irrfan Khan than the bit part he plays. The scene where Naseem dances in the rain with only a shirt on, is pure fantasy on the director's part, and nobody kissed that openly back in the 40s and 50s, even married couples. A reality check was in order, Mr. Sarin.

Still, despite the hodge-podge of ideas and unrealistic scenes, the film is watchable, and even moving at times. But it could easily have been much better, and the backdrop of cultural conflict deserves a more in-depth, intelligent handling.

Gian Singh (Jimi Mistry) and Avtar Singh (Irrfan Khan)are Indian officers with the British Army serving under the command of Andrew Stilwell (Moss), who lives with his sister, Margaret,(Neve Campbell) in New Delhi . During 1941 the trio find in Burma where Stilwell is murdered . Both of them go back to their small village in Punjab, where Gian meets his widowed mother (Jaffrey) . During 1947, after 350 years of occupying India, the British decide to leave and concede independence . Millions of Muslims crossed from Pakistan to India and vice versa , similar number of Hindus, and Sikhs crossed over from the other side. A group of Muslims who were crossing over to Pakistan are attacked by a bunch of sword wielding horse-riding Sikhs, and Hindus, including Avtar (Khan), many are massacred, but some do manage to getaway. Muslims, in turn, murder all Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs passengers on a train en-route to India. Meantime , Gian, who refuses to collaborate in any slaughter , is picking up wood , he comes across a young Muslim girl names Naseem (Kristin Kreuk), in sheltering , and decides to hide her . He brings her home with him, and shelter her . But the villagers do find out, while some want to outrightly murder her, others want her to leave . Gian asks the villagers to give him some time to find her family from Pakistan and then send her on her trace , to which they agree . Later on , Gian seeks the help of Walter Hankings (John Light) and Margaret, who does her best to liaise with the Ministry of Unification of Families . In the meantime, Naseem (Kreuk) befriends people , adapts herself to the village life, and soon Gian and Naseem fall in love with each other.

It's an enjoyable romance/drama story where duo protagonist is awesome . In an epic and moving tale , as the starring fight the forces that haunt their innocent love, taking on the risks to survive in a world surrounded by hatred . The script relies heavily on the relationship between the two starring but it doesn't originate boring . It's a brilliant romantic story and though is slow-moving isn't tired . Kristin Kreuk is gorgeous with her sweet and attractive countenance. Jimi Mistry is magnificent as ex-officer looking for help and inspiration on the beautiful girl. Lush cinematography woven into a rich and exotic tapestry by the same director Sarin . Sensitive, sensible score, including a musical leitmotif with Hindu motives by Brian Tyler . The picture is finely directed by Vic Sarin , he is an usual director for TV and occasionally for cinema , ¨Partition¨ is the best of them.

The motion picture is correctly based on historic events , these are the following : The actual division between the two new dominions was done according to what has come to be known as the 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan.The border between India and Pakistan was determined by a British Government-commissioned report usually referred to as the Radcliffe Line after the London lawyer, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who wrote it. During 1947, after 350 years of occupying India, the British decide to leave, but not before separating Islamic Pakistan and secular India. Millions of Muslims crossed from India to Pakistan, while an equal number of Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians crossed over from the other side .Pakistan came into being with two non-contiguous enclaves, East Pakistan (today Bangladesh) and West Pakistan, separated geographically by India. India was formed out of the majority Hindu regions of the colony, and Pakistan from the majority Muslim areas. Countries of Modern Indian sub-continent . On 18 July 1947, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act that finalized the partition arrangement. A crowd of Muslims at the Old Fort (Purana Qila) in Delhi, which had been converted into a vast camp for Muslim refugees waiting to be transported to Pakistan. Manchester Guardian, 27 September 1947.The newly formed governments were completely unequipped to deal with migrations of such staggering magnitude, and massive violence and slaughter occurred on both sides of the border. Estimates of the number of deaths range around roughly 500,000, with low estimates at 200,000 and high estimates 1.000.000.

Cinematographer, Vic sarin's camera work takes this wonderful love story to a higher plain. His sweeping vistas, a heartwarming story and a comment on religious intolerance..all add up to make one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Jimi Mistri and Kristin Keruk give outstanding performance with Neve Campbell playing the sympathetic British subject during the time of the raj. Set in India during the partition of Indian and Pakistand in 1947, this movie is timely in its focus on the trouble that surround our world today. I found that the story, written by Sarin, does not point a finger of blame on either side, simply comments on the the death and suffering that 'religion' has brought to the world since the beginning of mankind.

Its very similar to a good Hindi movie Gaddar and an awesome Punjabi movie- Shaheed e mohabbat but still this movie is unique in its own way. The acting performances are flawless. Portrayal of a Sikh in this movie is amongst most authentic one ever in any movie. Movie moves at a good pace. The casting is very appropriate. In short this movie is a hidden gem which I found on Netflix. I wish this movie gets the recognition it deserves. The character of Gyan is portrayed excellently. The Canadian girl playing Naseem bears resemblance to another actress Kalki Koechlin. I knew the movie is fiction but I could not help praying for a happy ending. A must watch for anyone moved by well made movies with good scripts.