No Fathers in Kashmir

A teenage girl from Britain, Noor visits Kashmir with her mother only to stumble upon the real story behind her missing father. She befriends a local Kashmiri boy, Majid who has suffered a similar fate and he agrees to help her unravel more truths. But their pursuit ends up taking a different turn.

The filmmaker brings a brutal and harsh reality of the Kashmir Valley.

Noor (Zara Webb) and Majid (Shivam Raina).

When Noor finds out that both their fathers were 'picked up' (the meaning of which Noor eventually understands) by the Indian army years ago, with no news of them since, she wants to find out more,, about extremely conservative Muslims who dream of an Islamic state and double-agents who pretend to work for militants as well as for the army.

Her probing unravels more than what she bargained for including the double dealings of an idolized, radical local leader, Arshid (Ashvin Kumar).

Thee good moments between Noor and Majid,..which bring a smile to your face.,that eventually develops into a tender love story even though their present realities and circumstances are so different.

The story is heart-wrenching and mostly gripping.

The innocent charm of the lead pair Zara Webb and Shivam Raina that shines through - especially Raina who touches a chord as Majid.

This film is not a light watch - it's a poignant tale that leaves you thinking about the half-widows and half-orphans, and many such untold stories.