Khamosh Pani

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Khamosh Pani
Khamosh Pani movie poster
Directed by	Sabiha Sumar
Produced by	Aamir Ali Malik
Written by	Paromita Vohra
Starring	Kiron Kher, Shilpa Shukla
Release date(s)	2004
Running time	105 min.
Country	Pakistan
Language	Punjabi / Urdu
IMDb profile

Khamosh Pani (Urdu: خاموش پانی; Hindi: खामोश पानी; lit. Silent Waters) is a 2003 French/German production about a widowed mother and her young son; set in a late 1970s village in Pakistani Punjab, which is coming under radical influence.

The film was released in India too. It was shot in a village in Pakistan and won 7 awards.

[edit] Plot

Ayesha is a seemingly well-adjusted middle-aged woman whose life centres around her son Saleem - a gentle, dreamy 18-year-old, in love with Zubeida. They live in the village of Charkhi in Pakistani Punjab. Ayesha's husband is dead and she manages a living from his pension and by giving Qur'an lessons to young girls. The story begins in 1979, in a Pakistan under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law. Zia-ul-Haq manipulated the interpretation of Islam and misguided a whole generation of uneducated young people. These so called fundamentalist young people were needed at that time to fight the Russians etc. THe movie overlooks this part of history where American involvement is clear. Saleem becomes intensely involved with a group of Islamic fundamentalists and leaves Zubeida. Ayesha is saddened to see her son change radically.

Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India pour into the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was left behind in 1947 during partition. This awakens heart-rending memories. This movie basically shows the consequences of a corrupt dictator on the future of nation.

[edit] Cast

• Kiron Kher
• Aamir Ali Malik
• Arshad Mahmud
• Salman Shahid
• Shilpa Shukla
• Sarfaraz Ansari

[edit] External links

• Khamosh Pani at the Internet Movie Database
• New York Times review of "Silent Waters"