Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Shikara trailer is out now. The trailer suggests the film is based on the cold and dark night of January 19, 1990 – Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley.
The trailer opens with a young couple in love, suddenly notices a house on fire in the neighbourhood and their life was never the same again. Their home, amongst other Kashmiri Pandits, came under attack and they were asked to flee from the valley due to the active revolt against the community.
Next, the trailer shows nearly 4,00,000 Indians becoming refugees in their own country. There’s also a clip of Benazir Bhutto’s disquisition on ‘Azad Kashmir’.
In the lead are two fresh faces, Sadia as Shanti Dhar and Aadil Khan as Shiv Kumar Dhar, who are newcomers in the Hindi film industry.
The trailer ends with snippets of the couple against a backdrop of shops shutting down, police vigilantism and deserted streets of Kashmir emitting fumes of smoke. The story depicts the struggle of the couple, and by showcasing their journey, the film brings to light the lives that were turned upside down as a result of being attacked by JKLF and Islamist insurgents during the late 1989 and early 1990.
The trailer was released with the caption
“1990, Kashmir – an entire community was made homeless. 30 years later, they still can’t return to their homes. Watch as the story of the Kashmiri Pandits finally comes to light #Shikara.”
Shikara is set for release on February 7, 2020, in cinemas.
