Dir: Anup Singh
By Sarah Jilani
Does the past ever stay past? Can there be a future when roots and identity remain in flux? These are just two of many dense questions Tanzanian-born Sikh director Anup Singh’s asks in his multi-layered and affective filmQissa: The Tale of A Lonely Ghost.
When his Sikh village is attacked in 1947 during the violent years post-Partition, Umber Singh (Irffan Khanrelocates) travels with his wife and three daughters from Pakistani to Indian Punjab territory. Restarting life best they can, Singh yearns for a sense of continuity, which he believes a son can bring him. Upon the birth of his fourth daughter, he decides to cheat destiny and raises her as a boy. When a daughter-in-law Neeli enters the picture, the family must come to face their delusions with heavy consequences. Anyone familiar with lead Irffan Khan from past films like “The Namesake†and “The Life of Pi†has a great performance here to look forward to.
“Qissa†is not for the faint of heart, but there’s no denying that the sombre pace, almost surreal events and the dark, lingering shots of rural Punjab come together in a beautiful film – both dreamlike and unflinchingly real. In two hours, Singh manages to raise serious questions regarding both gender and identity and doesn’t let go until you feel the full weight of the ghostly, longing rootlessness that so many during this period in history faced.
