Midnight’s Children: India & Pakistan ?

My first aim to watch this film ‘Midnight’s Children’ was because I knew I would never end up reading the book! Salman Rushdi’s books have always been quite intimidating and almost incomprehensible for me. Hence, I thought of this movie adaptation of the book by the esteemed director- Deepa Mehta -as an opportunity where I could know it all, without going through the trouble of reading the book. 

But to my surprise the film has had the exactly opposite effect on me. The film is so bizarre that now I have this even more urge and curiosity to read the book just to satisfy all my unanswered questions.

Well, having said that I was essentially curious about the book and then the film because it puts across a wonderful concept of- The ‘Midnight’s Children’ – the life of those who were born on the midnight of 15^th August 1947 at 12am.

Ignoring the excess characters and unnecessary historical backgrounds that the film brings in, I decided to interpret it in a manner that I best understand.  As the movie goes -it’s about the lives of two main characters Shiva and Salim both born on the midnight of 15^th August 1947 and that of a nurse who exchanges the babies in order to serve a greater purpose of equating rich and the poor and who thinks she has changed their destinies as the rich must be poor and poor must be rich..

So where Shiva who is born to rich Muslim trader who lives in a mansion, Salim is actually born to a pauper wee willy winky who sings on the streets for a living. When they are exchanged, Salim is brought up by the well-to-do Muslim family and whose mother’s sister is married to general Zulfikar of Pakistan and goes through enormous psychological and emotional turmoil resulting into an estranged life in spite of having all the luxuries. And Shiva who sings for a living as a child lives a life of destitution. Both these children grow up facing various events and incidents that shape their future. Where Salim faces terrible realities of war crimes through the military coup in Pakistan and the 1971 war where he fights as a Pakistani soldier and then takes refuge in Indian slums, Shiva goes on to become a Major in the India army and climbing his way up endures power and status. Although both their destinies have been switched they are more prominently bound by the destiny of the two countries. In the broader sense it is  a story of the hardships faced by the two nations with Shiva and Salim symbolizing India and Pakistan. And finally in their journey the only thing that remains with them and which matters is ‘Humanity’ when a Christian nurse gives refuge to, an old Hindu snake charmer Salim and Shiva’s daughter who is being taken care of by Salim. All of them come together because when it’s a question of survival all that matters is ‘humanity’, for all that matters is ‘love’ and ‘respect’ for another human being for independence in the real sense means independence to be able to ‘live’ your own life.

For me  the movie essentially speaks of the tale of two nations through the characters of Shiva and Salim. (Though I might be able to reflect on these thoughts better after I read the book I could not hold myself back on writing about it).

 So basically, a story of two nations -India and Pakistan- being born on the same day. Their lives, dreams & aspirations bound by the lives of others- bound by history, leaders of the two countries, and the, events that shape their future.

What did the next few decades mean for independent India & Pakistan’s independent new generation? The generation that saw the bloody partition, generation that was bearing with the constant struggle of the two nations for power, authority, politics, diplomacy and war. Were their lives as free and independent as that of our nations? Was our nation truly independent, apart from being independent of the British? Were these two nations truly independent of one another?  Well there is no single way to answer these questions and I believe that’s where the complexity of the film/book lies.  This, not just being my understanding, the issues argued in the film, I believe, cannot be better explained due to the innate complex nature of the subject itself.  Although screenplay (by Rushdie) could have been far better. I think that at many places Rushdie’s attachment with his story/book and the fact that he wanted to say so many things in so many ways had a rather confusing effect for the audiences. Although, I am quite certain that articulation of those incidents and events might be far more aesthetically presented in the book than they were in the film. Literature is far broader a medium of communication than films. Films have a far reaching effect where the audience is concerned but literature can have a far more elaborate, analytical and comprehensive approach towards a subject like this one which may seem elusive for a film maker to articulate or present in the same way as that in the book due to various constraints.

Thus the story of Shiva and Salim  for me symbolizes that -no matter where you are born or what life you lead your destiny is bound by the things, people, incidents and events which are most of the times far beyond your control and understanding. History, circumstances and situations which make you vulnerable are the ones that shape your destiny. And most of the times it is these others factors that determine your choices and not your own sensibilities!