Description

Half Widow is a breathtaking tale of a Kashmiri woman whose happy life takes a drastic turn as her husband is made to disappear and her brother loves and protects her in her struggle as a half widow.

Neela, a Kashmiri housewife, loses her sense of self when her husband is disappeared. Her maddening reality restarts every day with the hope that her husband will come back, that she will able to build her home again and live a normal life like the others around her. But she never gets what she desires. Her husband is long gone. Her younger brother, Zakir, is the only beacon of light in her life. He stands by her every day, keeping her hope alive. Zakir knows that if he turns his back on Neela, she might give up on her life. He will never let that happen, and so Zakir supports her through all the ups and downs they both face.

Years later, Neela encounters journalists who want to tell her story, which triggers emotions that she worked so hard to mute. She resolves that no one has the right to tell her story; no one should write about her husband except for Neela herself. But she is confronted with a stark reality: she is illiterate. For the last ten years, she has only waited for her husband, letting life pass her by.

Neela’s predicament and process is something I witnessed while growing up in Kashmir. Education helped women and children who were trying to bind the broken pieces of their former selves together. But the women, especially, had to struggle to access these resources. Neela realizes the value of education, that she will not be able to write her story without it. She accepts this challenge and the fact that her husband is never going to come back. Neela also understands she can set an example for others in her same tragic situation, and so she decides to make a difference. She will learn to read and write so she can tell her story.

Director's Bio

DANISH RENZU is a Kashmir born film director, whose work direction and writing has received critical acclaim, whilst his work in drama specifically has earned him official selection in various film festivals and recognition in press and media. A graduate of University of California Los Angeles, Danish was born in Kashmir, India. He came to America all by himself at a very young age to pursue his dreams. He also holds a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering degree.
Danish Renzu grew up in the conflict driven valley of Kashmir where he lived through frequent bombings, shutdowns and abuse of human rights, he realized early in life that true solution lies in investing our energies toward personal development, education and community growth.

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