Plot Summary

The story begins with an awkward and listless Nirvair (Nivi), a Punjabi Sikh youngster living in London, trying to find himself and his purpose, when his grandfather, Ishar’s, critical illness prompts his return to his hometown in Punjab, India. In spite of being on the brink of death, Ishar seems to be painfully holding on to life.

Flashbacks, depict Ishar’s memories, which are vivid and detailed, even though he cannot articulate them properly. In his tormented haze, Ishar cannot always differentiate between the past and the present and often uses confusing metaphors to recall long suppressed traumatic experiences, making him seem like a dementia patient. Yet, his intense and single minded yearning to tie some lose end by visiting his childhood home of Sargodha in contemporary Pakistan rouses Nivi’s sympathies, and he resolves to help his grandfather find peace.

Ishar’s happiest memories are from his teenage years, when he was courting a cheerful and mischievous Muslim girl, Jiya, mere months before their lives are shattered by the violence and horrors of partition. Ishar had made a certain promise to Jiya before the tidal wave of history forced them apart. On his deathbed, Ishar finds that he cannot to let go of this world until he has fulfilled that very promise he strove to forget all his life. Will Nivi be able to help him? Watch the movie to find out.

Highlights

• Partition is a tragedy that we must neither forget, nor brood over. The movie walks this fine line with elan, depicting the heartbreaking tragedy with sensitivity and grace. It shows the stark and morbid violence of people driven by fear and mob frenzy, without dwelling on it.

• Interspersed with humor that is neither awkward, nor jarring, the movie makes us simultaneously laugh and cry. It highlights the lightness and sweetness of individual human interactions, against the ugly historical canvas of violence and slaughter.

• The story flawlessly meanders back and forth between the present and partition era timelines, emphasizing that while technology and society might have changed significantly, basic human nature remains the same, allowing for a strong emotional connection across generations.

• Through the almost invisible character of the the photographer, who not only courageously documented this tragic historical event for posterity, but whose work also brought closure to some plagued by uncertainty and tangible links to the past, for some who had lost everything, the movie illustrates the importance of such roles in our society.

• The sublime music of A. R. Rehman enhances the emotional impact of Nayanika Mahtani and Imtiaz Ali's playful, yet heart wrenching script.

• Nivi, during his quest to help his dying grandfather Ishar find his way back to his childhood home in Pakistan, realizes that his own life’s purpose lies not in England where he lives, but in his own home, Punjab.

The problems of two little people are all that makes sense when the world is going crazy.