‘Shikara’ Critics’ Review: Romance Takes Precedence Over Politics

The film released on 7 February.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Shikara is set against the backdrop of the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits who were forced to leave the Kashmir Valley in 1990. The film stars Sadia and Aadil Khan, and released on 7 February.

Here’s what critics have to say about the film:

“The history lesson is ultimately weak, but the romance is always strong. Admirably shot by Rangarajan Ramabran and tightly edited by Chopra, Shikara resists the seduction of a grand-sweep narrative for an intimately observed story of a tragedy that is leavened by love. Chopra’s first film in five years is his most restrained yet. The unwavering tenderness between Shiv and Sadia results in some lovely moments, and the easy chemistry between the actors lends credibility and heft to the relationship. Aadil Khan, the stronger performer, is especially wonderful at conveying Shiv’s plight and his struggle to keep his bearings.”

Nandini Ramnath, Scroll

“Why was a particular community and its people forced into leaving the valley at gunpoint? Shikara takes vague jabs at setting the context. We get throwaway remarks about ‘not being able to gather because of Section 144’, ‘elections not being free and fair’, ‘India chale jaao’. We see militancy being encouraged and supported from across the border (actual scenes of Benazir Bhutto raising slogans of ‘azaadi’ on black and white TV), but nothing goes deeper. That the Muslim residents are slyly eyeing Pandit homes and property finds repeat mention, but what has caused the rift stays strictly on the surface.”

Shubhra Gupta, The Indian Express

“Shikara is by no measure a propagandist film. Its intention is the most sincere. Chopra’s earnestness to tell a story, that has remained in his heart for decades, shines through. He also makes an attempt to end the vicious cycle of hate by taking creative calls such as not showing the faces of the perpetrators. Hate certainly has no face, as he correctly suggests. But it does have a Taqiyah (Muslim cap) either, as costume designer Sachin Lovalekar demonstrates. That is, however, not an issue since it is a historically established fact that the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits was a communal act.”

Devansh Sharma, FirstPost