Ramchand Pakistani

Winner of a FIPRESCI Award at the New Delhi Film Festival, Director Mehreen Jabbar's powerful debut film is set on the Thar Desert border between Pakistan and India and is based on a true-life story. Ramchand is a wilful single child, from low caste Hindu parents who live in Pakistan. After an argument with his mother Champa (Nandita Das), Ramchand runs out into the desert but soon finds he has wandered too far, crossing the border into India. His father follows him and both are arrested as Pakistani spies and thrown into gaol and interrogated.

As months go by, Champa, back in Pakistan, has to cope with the terrible loss of her family and solitary struggle for her very survival. Meanwhile, young Ramchand learns to cope with the forced separation from his mother and the chaos of prison life. This divided family, however, find their inner strength to carry on, never giving up hope. Syed Fazal Hussain as Ramchand and Nandita Das offer riveting performances, while this poignant film is also underpinned by stunningly beautiful cinematography and an evocative folk music score.
Cary Rajinder Sawhney

This film is nominated for The Sutherland Trophy.