Punyatithi : A film about Ayodhya
Ancient world didn’t have boundaries of states, caste, religions, position or nations. But the history of world tells us that the powerful have always ruled the oppressed, the weak and the outnumbered. Today the play of power is happening in the name of caste, culture, religion, nation and social position, keeping humanity at bay.
This story dates back to 6 December 1992, a small town of Ayodhya became the national headline. Whole country rather the whole world witnessed the breakdown of “Babri Masjid”. In our story, we see how this one incident completely changed the life of a man and a family.
A 60 years old man Sarfaraaz Khan is a teacher in a “Madarsa”, spreading wisdom and love to the children who are not his. He now lives in Faizabaad with his wife Nagma. They both are living under the pain and burden of an incident that happened 26 years back. The incident that changed their lives forever. Every year on 6 December they are seen walking the by lanes of Ayodhya, heading towards their old house, where the living tombstone of their life the buried.
6th December 1992, Sarfaraaz is a charismatic young man, who lives happily with wife Nagma and a 6-year-old daughter “Alifia”. He is handsomely employed. A beautiful family of three.
When the care takers of religion and political meanness joined hands, the repercussions are faced by ordinary humans. As the Hindu extremists started breaking down the Babri Masjid, atmosphere of terror was created for the Muslims. At that time, you could not see even a single Muslim walking on the roads of Ayodhya.
In this critical situation Sarfaraaz along with wife and daughter is captured in his own house, which is no more a safe place. His numerous failed attempts of trying to escape with family and move to a safer place leave make him more anxious. During one such attempt to escape, he and his family were maltreated by the crowd. After suffering he finally decides to kill his family and eventually himself too. This was the most difficult decision he ever took after all, how can anybody see their daughter and wife left at the fate of an extremist mob.
The moment Sarfaraaz slits his daughter’s throat and is about to kill his wife, a family friend Janak breaking the door enters the house and tells him that there is a way they can escape.
Now Sarfaraaz gathers some consciousness and on seeing his dead daughter he wants to kill himself but Janak stops him. Before leaving the house Sarfaraaz and Janak bury Alifia in that very house. Now every year Sarfaraaz comes to the house, at the tombstone of daughter, pleading for pardon and praying for his own death.
A man who has lost everything to an incident. We see how he is leading a life of pain and defeat. How one Babri Masjid tragedy affected his entire life?
A man who tried his best to safe his family ended up killing his 7-year-old daughter. A man who failed in his best attempt. It is not a pro-government film its pure humanity based film we will not say who is right or who is wrong in this incident but we will show the trauma of a muslim family who caught up in his own house during Babri demolition.
It’s a social drama which is highlighting the bitter truth of the society. These truths are not accepted by the so called good people of our society. We shoted in realistic way, where characters are relatable. They are real life characters where audience can see their rare reflection in them. The message that our story will convey will be shot in a simple manner which can be easily understood by people.
DIRECTOR DETAIL
RAJNISH BABA MEHTA a film Writer and Director of Indian Film Industries. He is also working for Indian television industry as a Creative Director and Writer. Before venturing into filmmaking, he spent 6 years of his career as a journalist with media organisations. He produced and directed various documentaries and short film in COLLEGE TIME including Retina India, GANDHI AUR GOLI, Zarina Wahab Starrer SHIVANI.
RAJNISH has now launched his own Company Vollmond Entertainment PVT.LTD. for FILM-MAKING.
PUNYATITHI : Death anniversary is the professional film and Debut film of RAJNISH BABA MEHTA in professional arena.
