Earth [DVD]

I have just watched EARTH and I am quite simply shattered. I had been trying to get hold of the film for quite a while and of course I was somewhat afraid it might not be up to my expectations - it has exceeded them by far. It just is one of the best films I have seen in a long time. But be warned - it is by no means a Bollywood film or what has come to be understood by the term. The action takes place in Lahore, august 1947, and shows the cruel aspects of the Partition - the old, old story of politics suddenly turning friends into deadly enemies: Hindus turn against Muslims, Muslims turn against Hindus and in the midst of it there is an eight-year-old girl who watches it all and understands nothing - but still she experiences extreme sadness and suffering that will change her life forever. One of the most heartrending scenes is the one where she re-enacts one of the cruel scenes she has witnessed. Don't get me wrong - the atrocities are hinted at rather than explicitly shown; they are mostly in the head (they always are the worst kind, of course, because you can't shake them off - especially as you know they really did happen - and are still happening). The action centres around the girl and her nanny and her group of friends, of different religions and different social backgrounds. It all starts pleasantly and even funnily enough - but given the historical background you just know that the characters' destinies are spiralling to an unavoidably tragic climax where love turns into hate and trust is unforgivably betrayed. There is no happy ending, there just can't be - worse even, there is not even a glimpse of hope left one of the persons involved might have survived emotionally if bodily. The actors are all of them beyond par and Aamir Kahn is second to none - Hollywood, Bollywood or whatever. To my mind there are few actors if any who can bring great emotions across by this minimalistic means. This film will leave you drained but it is worth every minute of it.

If you're reasonable interested in the development of India/Pakistan in a civilised way you should see this.

I saw this film as someone who does not like Bollywood fare and was surprised to find that on every level: (Technical-lighting, music,Artistic style, Intelligent intent, Historical content and acting..... Any more? - You name them!)Some Indians are making movies that are better anything Hollywood turns out. It's basically about how the motions of vast religious (read political) machinations during partition bring about a degeneration in a group of friends of all religious background.

There is an especially telling little kernel at the heart of the story when Aamir Khan (excellent as ever) tells the girl he loves about how, if he does not marry someone from the opposed religion to temper his mind, he is afraid of the beast within himself that may be unleashed with the insane goings on around him.

Brave enough to show Nehru (hagiographed in all other things that I've seen) as a distant, Upper-class and very English radio voice, far removed from the little people that political egos crushed in the mayhem....The only short coming I found was not mentioning the culprits responsible for setting up the worst atrocity of the 20th century....And watch out for an especially haunting ending.

Warning: don't lend this video to any narrow minded bigots/fundamentals of any persuasion - they may damage the tape so it can't be seen again.

This film is about the partition of India and the terrible tragedies that surround it. It is seen through the eyes of Lenny-baby,a young parsee girl who because of her lack of prejudice towards any side, brings home the sadness of it all. The film does not take sides and this is one of its biggest strengths. The main actors are Aamir Khan and Rahul Khanna. Both give outstanding performances as each one's character reacts to the unfolding situaution very differently. In Aamir, the situation brings out the monster in him while in Rahul, the gentle man comes to the fore. You have to see this movie. No review can convey how amazing it is.