In a conflict ridden Kashmir, post Independence, Aasia (Shilpi Marwaha) a Muslim half-widow finds herself, her 11 year old daughter and ill mother-in-law in a crisis when she attempts to get her missing husband’s death certificate from the government. Just for the uninitiated, the term half-widow applies to a married woman, but without a husband.” A half widow is neither a wedded woman respected by the society, nor the one whose spouse has passed away. Thousands of men have regularly disappeared, but are not declared dead, and the families have no way of finding out about their fate .
The plot deals with how she has to find the abominable strength and mindset to come out from an unthinkable and absurd situation, when none other than the Registrar , who is a government servant who is old enough to be her father and has been appointed by the government, sets out to exploit her situation by resorting to blackmail her by telling her that she will get her husband’s death certificate either by selling to his friend the land that her husband has left behind for her, so that he can siphon off the commission from him or sleep with him. The biggest irony is that the government relief pension payment of 1,00,000 rupees ($2,253) per year is awarded only after the half widows are able to obtain a death certificate from district authorities.
The films that Praveen Morchchale sets out to make are mostly driven by their powerful stories, their distinct characters, their captivating subjects and important themes. Each film, whether it is ‘Barefoot To Goa’ or ‘Walking With The Wind’ or for that matter ‘Widow of Silence’ brings a distinct viewpoint on the world we live in, told by the articulate filmmaker with a confident voice. The poignant film revolves around the tribulations and turmoil of a brave Muslim half widow in a conflict ridden Kashmir.
Praveen Morchhale Director
In his third feature, “Widow of Silence“, Praveen Morchchale sets out to give us a sour portrayal of internal unrest in the Indian-administered Kashmir. With a subtle calmness of his previous works he brings into focus the fate of the most vulnerable and helpless victims of conflict zones around the world: women and children and how they are often exploited by ruthlessly greedy government servants, under the guise of coming forward to help them.
Most of the actors in the film are amateurish and non actors but Shilpa Matwah, who plays the role of Aasia, stands out as she is a theatre artiste. Ajay Chourey as the corrupt and pervert Registrar not only acts well but also doubles up as assistant director on the film with effortless ease. It may be difficult to connect with the movie due to its lapidary structure, and lethargic pace which tend to irritate the viewers and some basic knowledge about the nature of the Kashmiri conflict is required.
To sum up, Widow of Silence is a poignant film which is lyrical but thanks to the languid pace, it may lull you to sleep at times
Please find below the link of the feature film “Widow of Silence” which will be having Indian premiere on MUBI on 14th June, 2020.
