A Movie on the 1971 Genocide in Bangladesh: keeping holocausts alive!
I only saw the trailer of the movie ‘The Bastard Child’ on youtube which is due to be 
released after Christmas, and therefore can not claim a full feel of a cinematic experience. What attracted me to the film was that it was about the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence, on the fringes of which I started my military career.
There was a genocide and it has been recorded in ‘Lajja’ (Shame) a book written by Taslima Nasrin. The story apart, the book almost reads like a government gazette giving tabulated lists of atrocities by district. It revolves around a Hindu family in East Pakistan during those years. The whole world knows and has acknowledged the genocide where in some millions of people were just exterminated.A figure much larger than the Holocausts of Jews in the II World War. The figures vary depending on the purpose it serves whether political or saving the perpetuators. Millions is what I will believe because of the high density of population in that region of the world.
While I laud the efforts of the producers of ‘The Bastard’s Child’, I remain curious to know the reasons for them to get back to a topic the world is trying to brush under the carpet. Also, the film will be in the face of Pakistan accusing the Indian’s of portraying them as evil in Bollywood films. I guess Bollywood is filling in the gaps where the state has failed.
War crimes
At the political level Bangladesh has been on the case dealing with its own citizens, partly from a Human Rights or War Crimes reason. Whereas in India, there definitely is a new wave of nationalism in the current generation defying the apathy of the past, and in trying to highlight the perpetrators much to the ire of Pakistani political elite.
There is a benefit to mankind in keeping memory of the holocausts and bringing the perpetrators to justice, which alas has happened in the sub continent. A film to watch … at the least for this reason.
It has a good cast and it has Victor Bannerjee whom I have always liked.
Check out the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLpEhKUSAII
Very violent did not realise that the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan was so violent.
Must watch