This is a very powerful film. Based in India – it tells the story of 19 year old Malli, played by Ayesha Dharkar, a hardened terrorist or freedom fighter as she travels and prepares to assinate a government official by blowing herself up.
As she travels you get flash backs of her life – the death of her father – the martyrdom of her brother – her encounter with a young boy wounded during an army attack on a guerilla base – an his subsequent violent death – and – we see her in action – killing soldiers in a fight – and with a machete. The film gives a strong insight into why a person would want to be a suicide bomber – and an insight into the life of a freedom fighter.
Malli travels to the area where she is to make her attack and is lodged with a kindly farmer, Vasu. His kindness and his situation make Malli start questioning whether she should continue with the attack – this would have been her first experience of normal life – since she was a child. There is another twist in the plot that I can’t tell you as it would spoil the film. Needless to say the tension mounts as Malli rehearses the attack and struggles with her conscience – and the tension holds to the end of the film.
The direction is extremely good – the cast – mostly non-professional – very believable – and the locations – rivers, waterfalls and rural India are fantastic – its certainly an area I would love to visit.
Of course in reality a suicide bomber – would be kept away from the real world – to prevent doubts – and a little of Vasu’s life is fanciful – his son long dead – and his wife in a coma. However these are minor quibbles.
Go and see the film its very good – it grips you – and helps you understand why people are terrorists.