So I watched the movie Homebound and it made me think, more than I actually want to. Neeraj Ghaywan the maker of Masaan did a fantastic job in making this well balanced tale of friendship, religion or caste, class discriminations, poverty, unemployment struggles, and crushed dreams. It is tender and soul crushing - the film received huge praises and was selected for Oscar entry from India which feels absolutely justified! The film holds mirror to multiple aspects of a downtrodden life - which often are unseen or just casually dismissed by a much blessed crowd.
There isn’t much I can add about the movie that hasn’t already been said, but what it reflected back at me were echoes of my own past and present. I am a Muslim and my label is reminded to me time and again sometimes without any rhyme or reason. It's not an exaggeration if I say - that for atleast 30-40% of public around me, we are still aliens with ancestry else where ( Turkey , Arab, etc) and they feel that we enjoy the luxuries here, where as our roots are not from here. People point to 1000 - 1500 year old invaders from Moghul dynasties etc and it's hilarious that some hold the grudge even now. Sometimes I jokingly say , in the tangled historical tree - I may very well be having a Brahmin great grand father or a Christian Uncle. Who knows how mixed our genetics are by now? But some people love tracing back the ancestry and stamping some unnecessary labels. The funniest and most outrageous is the Pakistani label. It boils my blood when friends and foes alike jokingly say that I am From Pakistan or if I know any from there....or question me why there is much Islamic terrorism - as if I hold the answers?
I wanna scream and say "Bro I know as much as you know...and I am an Indian national damnit!" But over the time it became so casual and so continuous that may be I learned to push it away or just swallow it. I will share some real life incidents which happened amongst groups of very well educated, broad minded and scholastic individuals !
Lumbini park terror attack incident in August 2007
On a fateful evening of 2007 ( I newly joined job then) , a dual attack happened in Hyd. 100s of people died in the bomb blasts happened at the historic famous Gokul chat and Lumbini park. I myself was shopping in an area called Koti, where the famous Gokul chat is - while that blast happened. Seeing sudden mayhem, we didnt understand. Our stars aligned that day and we were not near the Gokul chat and were almost returning home, when that terror attack happened.
Following that, may be its first time in my life after 9/11 - may be as it is home ground and my city - that I heard many many talks in office, in bus stops, at the water cooler, during lunch hours etc. etc. - that how Muslims are becoming a threat with each day and that you can trust none! And one random Friday when I was in my cubicle, couple of people passing by me - one among them being someone who strongly loathes Muslims started saying, "What is this yaar, every Friday we have to be scared of a terror attack. These people plan attacks on their holy days!" Needless to say it broke my heart, just like how Shoaib's heart breaks during a dinner party - when the bully asks him if he can check the authenticity of a Lahore's cuisine - a kebab (Lahore is place in Pakistan). Shoaib ( Ishaan Khatter) would be resisting his anger ( and he gets harassed multiple times even before that - sometimes purposely , at times in the disguise of fun), but his limits get pushed by the bully when he also hints that Shoaib is sad as Pakistan lost the match! That's when he finally snaps. I can't really tell how many times I was in Shoaib's shoes in multiple scenarios.
I lost count of how many times, I may have ignored the taunts or casual jokes - like once some one seemingly a friend asked me - "Afshan - do u know any hiding in Charminar or Tolichowki ( hyd area) who prepares bombs - may be we can place it under managers car. hahahaha", and everyone guffawed. I was young and I managed an awkward chuckle as I was not sure how to retort. I think the problem arises, when rest all chime in or stay indifferent! When you don't show solidarity and are apathetic to these things, you are part of the problem too - how much ever u deny it! If some one is painting extremists and normal folks with same brush, I strongly believe it is our duty to call out - to talk, to discuss or just explain the after effects in all its rawness like how Neeraj did in the movie!
It's not an exaggeration if I say that due to my label, I was not preferred in certain interview of a famous company...It is also not an exaggeration If I say that I had to restrict or block many people specially in the past decade due to their religious chauvinism and derogatory remarks on other's/my religion. I hate to be defined by any religion but for many extremists that's the primary recognition of a person. Wish they could watch a movie this beautiful where friendships blossom irrespective of the religion!
There are innumerable happenings in my life where I lost people to this religious bigotry... Recent was during the Pahalgam terror attack , seeing some posts - I had to remove or restrict them...and seeing my strong questioning or arguments some removed or blocked me on social platforms :)
Cut to 17 years later (2024) : My Daughter’s First Encounter
My daughter in her grade 1 - a mere 6-7 years old girl who is in school, where friends don't have any religion and wear the same uniform, gets inquired about her religion in the rest room during her recess period by a random girl (not using any names or giving away identities)
Random girl : "What religion are you?"
Zaara: " I am a Muslim"
Random girl : "Oh! You should be in Pakistan I believe . Why are u here?"
Z: "What do u mean? I am an Indian"
RG :" No you Muslims should move to Pakistan."
To this Zaara replied that she is from India and that it's not good to get questioned like that.
Just imagine a squishy soft brain of a child who has only started to learn spellings, has absorbed all this from somewhere . It could be parents, fellow friends , Neighbors or bus friends, but the girl quite unapologetically questioned my daughter this. Just imagine the foundation on which the girl is building her bonds in school? That's how segregation and categorization starts early on and people pick their sides...and million questions buzz even in a small child's brain!
Zaara came back home and seeing her many questions about Pakistan, I asked her why she is curious all of a sudden - then she told about this particular girl - how she asked such questions 2-3 times already. It took all my energy to explain to Zaara that Pakistan also has people like us...and that she is as much Indian as her friend. I highlighted the issue to class teacher and the girl who questioned Z was explained about right and wrong.
As it's a reasonably good school and has integrity in its core and has no religious aspects or preferences - my complaint worked. Now think about those many schools and the incidents which are coming in to light - where a clear discrimination is shown based on religion, where many mishaps are happening on and off. I don't want to share all the news items and make this a morbid post...but I am highlighting this to make people think and PLEAD them to not destroy unpolluted brains/ minds of your children. They are our only hope!
