“1984 -When the Sun did not rise” – the unique documentary by Mumbai-based Teena Kaur Pasricha captures the genesis of the November 1984 anti-Sikh carnage and seeks recognition for the pogrom as “genocide -a crime against humanity.”

57 minutes of tears, injustice and sad memories. Very simple, straight and powerful. In 57 minutes Teena Kaur captures the pain of 1984 and beyond. The post-84 drug scenario in the Widows Colony, the anguish of Mohan Singh, the matter-of-fact manner in which the Sikligar widows view promises of politicians bespeaks of the still unfolding tragedy.

This 57 minute true to life documentary took 5 years of research, pain, cajoling and patience for the Mumbai-based well-rewarded documentalist. Like a seasoned documentary maker, Teena Kaur raises more questions than she answers.  

The keenly observant Teena Kaur has closely touched touched the female victims of November 1984. Anger envelops me when I see images of the colony which has come to be known as the Widows Colony. I feel ashamed using that term. It is a blot on my community, a blot on the soul of India which does not bother and is hurting to the women who live there.

The narrative of the widows is plain and direct. Teena Kaur enters their houses and asks them pointed questions and they give out their heart-rending stories. “Somebody, somewhere planned the massacre” says one of the widows, summing up the sentiment that runs deep within the community that the dastardly genocidal carnage did not happen just as reaction to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.  

Funded by Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Network and Documentary Fund, the Leipzig International Festival for Documentary and Animated Films’s fellowship titled Doc Wok, this valiant effort of Teena Kaur has been screened across film festivals and has been widely acclaimed.

How short-lived and short-sighted are our community initiatives to rehabilitate victims of such tragedies can be gauged from the deteriorating life of the young drug abuser depicted in the documentary. “Mere papa hothe toh hamara yeh haal na hotha.” -”Had I father been alive, we would not have to go through this” laments the drug abuser at the loss of his father who was killed by the marauding mobs.

The rape of Sikh women during the carnage is another point that the documentalist could have raised but as she has told a section of the media, “the Sikhs and women talk about it generally but would not like to elaborate on this.”  

My visits to various habitats of Sikligars reaffirms the truth of this state of affairs and once again painfully pierces through my heart that we still have not fathomed how to face headlong such tragedies and how to plan rehabilitation and provide succour.

While India still in denial mode, Teena Kaur Pasricha, through “1984 -When the Sun did not rise” calls for acceptance of the nomenclature “genocide -a crime against humanity” for the organised violence that killed 2733 as per official statistics alone.

The movie “Amu”, categorised in the adult category by the Censor Board of Film Certification effectively dramatised the pain and agony of a young lady in search of her Sikh parents and siblings.  Teena Kaur’s “1984 -When the Sun did not rise” captures the continuing agony as justice eludes and politicians treat the tragedy as another opportunity to air their political grievances.

“1984, When the Sun didn’t Rise’ is Teena Kaur’s debut independent documentary for which she received the ‘Best Docu Feature by an Emerging Filmmaker’ award in DC Asia Pacific Film Festival in 2017 and was also bestowed with the Indian National Award for the Best Investigative Film.

Every Sikh, every sane individual, seeking answers to the complexity of people-politics relationship in India must see the film and not wait for the sun to rise.

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This year, the message of Teena Kaur has been soul-stirring: “Say a prayer for the departed families, be kind and compassionate and keep hopes alive.”