The film Pinjar talks about a woman's sorrow, sacrifice and her innate maternal instincts. It also speaks about crimes that men commit, and the pain that Partition brought with it. The film reflects the human values that fought bigotry. These are the same values that helped Puro accept the reality in her present, forgive all those who wronged her and finally reawaken to a new life and countless possibilities.
This is the significance of Pinjar. It shows how it is not possible to improve the present, without accepting the past wholeheartedly in it entirety. It also shows how it is important to improve the present in order to make the future bright. Thus, in order to paint one’s future bright, it is imperative to forgive the sins of the past.
The moral of Pinjar is that it is essential to do away with the desire to fortify one's history. The citizens of both India as well as Pakistan should familiarise themselves with this moral. Both nations have still not fully accepted Partition. Incomplete acceptance of truth creates unrest internally. It does not let one live.
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(This piece was originally published in Quint Hindi. Read the original story.)
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