Kashmiri Lives Matter: Army picks film, sends message

NEW DELHI: In an unusual outreach, reflecting a human take on the conflict in Kashmir, the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army picked a short film made in 2016 that features an Indian soldier and a terrorist, both injured, sharing a moment that binds them amidst violence.
“Who Dies”, a dramatic 13minute short film in Kashmiri, written and directed by Kashmiri actor Shahnawaz Baqal alias Rufy Khan, has won several accolades since it was first released and was also shown at the New York Peace International Film Festival.
“WHO DIES...? A Soldier understands pain of conflict. An apt depiction of how #KashmiriLivesMatter. A Short film directed by Shahnawaz Baqal,” the Chinar Corps tweeted from their handle. The film shows two injured men, one an Army soldier and another a terrorist, who take shelter in the same house. Between the instinct to kill the other, both also discover something common — the love of their child.
The film has done well at film festivals across India and abroad, and over the last three years, Khan has promoted the film on social media platforms with the message “Kashmir wants Peace”. He even reached out to PM Narendra Modi through Twitter in April 2017, tagging Modi’s tweet on Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism.
The Chinar Corps posting the YouTube link of Khan’s short film on its Twitter handle this November 1 with the hashtags “KashmiriLivesMatter’, ‘HumanityFirst’, and ‘UnitedWeStand’.
On Monday, the Indian Army’s Northern Command also shared visuals of the Football Championship at Boniyar, Kashmir. “#IndianArmy enhancing bonhomie with the Youth #Awaam organised #FootballChampionship at Boniyar #Kashmir. #YesToSports #WeCan #WeCare,” the Northern Command tweeted.