Everyone’s life is full of expectations, anticipations, hope, and love. We experience different emotions each day, but it’s impossible to imagine having our lives upturned in seconds. Dheeraj Jindal’s short film, School Bag, is a poignant story inspired by the true events of the Peshawar tragedy on December 16, 2014.
Reminiscing the past, one can easily recall the comforting feeling of walking in a mother’s arms straight from school. With love and affection, she would remove our school uniforms, dress us for the day, and unpack our school bags. Rasika Duggal portrays this affectionate mother, who undoubtedly dotes on her son’s every wish. Farooq, on the other hand, is a lively child, with the energy of a bouncing puppy, always eager for what he desires.
Summary
The film opens with Farooq who is an energetic and enthusiastic young boy. He enters his home after attending a birthday party, most likely held at school. Like any other child, he excitedly tells his mother all about the fun activities and events of his day. This is followed by a discussion between Farooq and his mother about what they should do to celebrate his upcoming birthday, as it is the eve of his special day. Farooq soon demands a new school bag as his birthday wish, persistently nagging his mother about it. He is shown firmly insisting that his mother buy him the desired school bag. He even threatens to not attend school the next day if she does not. Evidently, the doting parent who indulges her son’s every desire, Farooq’s mother eventually obliges and purchases the requested school bag. She then sends him off to school the next day with a smile on her face. The film then takes a heart-wrenching turn as news spreads of a violent attack targeting a school in the area.
School Bag: Take Away
The film is a poignant take on one of the most tragic incidents in Pakistan’s history. Dheeraj Jindal’s direction ensures that the viewer does not realize the specific setting of the film until they have reached the climax. This highlights the universality of the tragic incident and transcends regionality and circumstances. Terrorist attacks, no matter where they occur, are equally devastating and painful for each affected family. The loss, pain and suffering remains the same regardless of the material circumstances. Moreover, the narrative style of the film evokes a certain emotional resonance that makes the viewer feel the void left by Farooq’s absence. The film also echoes the tragic stories and extensive media coverage surrounding the 1947 Partition. Overall, Dheeraj Jindal’s short film, School Bag, powerfully captures the full spectrum of emotions one could experience during a heartbreaking terror attack.
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