‘Roja’ to ‘Hamid’, Bollywood’s Portrayal of Kashmir Over the Years

8 Bollywood films set in the heart of Kashmir.

To truly gauge India’s relationship with the Kashmir conflict, one only needs to look at the cinema that has emerged from the subcontinent. Whether it’s mainstream Bollywood films like Mission Kashmir that have portrayed a melodramatic perspective or more indie offerings like Harud that have created space for alternative narratives that steer clear of traditional storytelling, Kashmir’s complicated history continues to inspire stories. Here’s a glimpse of 8 such films that have tried to do justice to the region by putting a face to the violence and trauma that has engulfed the beautiful valleys of Kashmir.

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1. Roja (1992)

Mani Ratnam’s Roja, starring Madhoo, Arvind Swamy and Pankaj Kapur, is an unexpected love story that blooms against the backdrop of a conflicted Kashmir. After her arranged marriage with Rishi (Arvind Swamy), a simple, Tamil-speaking Roja (Madhoo) finds herself helpless and struggling in the aftermath of her husband’s abduction in Kashmir. As Roja tries to garner support from the government for the release of her husband, Rishi attempts to reason and negotiate with militants who are determined to free Kashmir from India.

2. Mission Kashmir (2000)

With bleeding memories of his parent’s death, an orphan named Altaaf (Hrithik Roshan) is taken in by a policeman Inayat Khan (Sanjay Dutt) and his wife. All is well until Altaaf discovers that to truly avenge his parent’s death, he needs to kill Inayat Khan. With a history of trauma and violence, Altaaf finds his way back to the strife-torn corners of Kashmir that had destroyed his life several years ago. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Mission Kashmir stars Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt and Preity Zinta. It is a story of revenge and betrayal and how both are caught in an endless cycle of toxicity in conflicted Kashmir.

3. Yahaan (2005)

When Shoojit Sircar’s directorial debut film Yahaan released in 2005 it didn’t fare as well at the box office, despite playing with themes that resonated deeply with Indians. In Yahaan, Kashmiri Muslim woman Adaa (Minissha Lamba) and a Hindu man Aman (Jimmy Shergill) fall in love. But their relationship has its own hurdles to cross as Aman belongs to the Indian Army and Adaa’s brother Shakeel is involved with terrorists seeking to separate Kashmir from India. Their relationship loses its ‘undercover’ status soon and suddenly, a hint of suspicion is enough for the Indian Army to turn their backs on Aman. A classic tale of how love can conquer all, Yahaan is set against the gorgeous valley of Kashmir. A reminder of how goodness and beauty can thrive anywhere and everywhere.

4. Tahaan (2008)

Directed by Santosh Sivan, Tahaan is the story of an eponymous child who, on his quest to get back his pet donkey Birbal, finds himself sucked into the vortex of war and violence as he is assigned the delivery of a grenade. As Tahaan tries to get back Birbal, it’s his innocence that is both his greatest weakness as well as strength. Shot against the rugged, winter-y landscapes of Kashmir, Tahaan’s climax scene hits hard for how it juxtaposes the innocence of human lives with the hard-hitting reality of terrorism.

5. Sikandar (2009)

Piyush Jha’s Sikandar is an exploration of child psyche in a conflict-ridden environment such as Kashmir. The film follows the story of a 14-year-old boy named Sikandar (Parzan Dastur) and his drastic descend into the world of terrorism after he accidentally catches hold of a gun on his way back from school. As Sikandar gets embroiled in a warfare that has absolutely nothing to do with him, innocent lives are lost and Sikandar is rendered helpless in the situation. The film also stars Sanjay Suri, R. Madhavan, and Ayesha Kapoor.

6. Harud (2010)

Unable to cope with the death of his brother, Rafiq tries to unsuccessfully escape Kashmir and crossover to Pakistan. Back to his frayed reality, Rafiq comes across his brother’s old camera and embarks on a path of self-discovery by stepping into his brother’s shoes. Aamir Bashir’s Harud delves into the ups and downs of life in Kashmir - how every little aspect is affected by the region’s militancy. The film stars Shahnawaz Bhat and Reza Naji and is set in Srinagar.

7. Haider (2014)

Starring Shahid Kapoor and Tabu, Vishal Bharadwaj’s Haider blends classic literature with contemporary Indian politics. An adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Haider follows the story of a young man Haider and his trauma, as both come of age in a bloody Kashmir. Haider, who comes home to investigate his father’s death at the hands of the militants, is ambushed by the discovery of his mother’s relationship with his uncle. As Shahid’s character struggles to move on with the past and the present, intertwined, constantly tugging at his heels, he gets embroiled in a toxic web of revenge and violence.

8. Hamid (2018)

Set against the morbid actuality of stone-pelting and gunfire, Hamid is the story of hope and kindness. Directed by Aijaz Khan, Hamid takes us to modern-day Kashmir where a neglected and lonely child, Hamid (Talha Arshad Reshi), is convinced that the number ‘786’ is that of God. In his quest to find this God, Hamid befriends a stranger - a CRPF jawaan named Abhay. As the latter decides to humour him, their lives are enriched by each other’s presence, though fleeting and full of misunderstandings. Hamid stars Rasika Duggal, Vikas Kumar, and Talha Arshad Reshi.

(This piece is from The Quint's archives and was first published on 7 August 2019. It is now being republished in the light of multiplexes opening in Srinagar.)