ON MARCH 31, Sanjay Kak screened the much-awaited film, Jashne-e-Azadi, in Tagore Hall, Srinagar. The film, despite obvious flaws, is a treat in visual intellectualism and poignantly brings out the Kashmiri pain and pathos. It’s a film that will leave you numb. The deserted streets, dotted only by troops and stray dogs on the most revered national day, August 15, metaphorically drives home how much devastation has the Pak-imported concept of Azadi wreaked in the paradise. In Kak’s realism comes out the neighbour’s nefariousness and the title, Jashne-e-Azadi, acquires a different, ironical ring. It’s anything but jashne (celebration), anything but azadi (freedom) in defiled Kashmir.       

 

The strong point of the movie is that it says it all without explicitly sermonizing or wailing over the wrongs in Kashmir. There is no linear narration. The film itself doesn’t attempt to give Azadi any sense but instead allows the grim situations to bring out the sham sense of Azadi among the Kashmiris.

 

The film’s raw energy flows the ground situations that range from metaphysical fight to venedetta to jehadi terror to revenge. He has brilliantly assembled collage of scenes that capture people’s torment. The director uses symbolism, metaphors and similes to elucidate the Kashmir tragedy.

The documentary moves to and fro in time again and again. But it keeps coming back from reels of chaos and confusion to the central theme or the fountainhead of the people problems — Azadi. It may jar the pristine filmmakers, but this is not made for them. One can find a thousand faults with the film and it may be criticized for not balancing the theme, but does reality need to be balanced. It only depicts reality. The interpretation is left to the audience.

 

Kak has also shown that intellectualism is not only about writing articles, delivering lectures or attending world conferences. Visual intellectualism can be most telling — without sermonizing, without boring and without catering to few intelligentsia classes. How potent can visual intellectualism be this film stands out as an example.

 

Jashne-e-Azadi reminds me of Paul Valery who in History and Politics writes: “History is the most dangerous product evolved from the chemistry of the intellect. Its properties are well known. It causes dreams; it intoxicates whole people; gives false memories; quickens their reflexes; keeps their old wounds open; torments them in their repose; leads them into delusions, either of grandeur or persecution; and makes nations bitter, arrogant, insufferable and vain.”