#NewsBytesRecommends: 'Hamid' on Netflix—both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal parts
Aijaz Khan's Hamid, available on Netflix, is a story about a seven-year-old who speaks to God and begs him for days on end to send his father back to him. An intriguing premise, emboldened by grounded performances, and a gut-wrenching, non-partisan description of Kashmir makes Hamid worth a watch. It's sentimental and compelling, and parts of it simply punch you straight in the gut.
In 'Hamid,' a small boy wants his father back
The film's focus is on the titular character Hamid (Talha Arshad Reshi), who lives in riot-torn Kashmir with his mother, Ishrat, and father, Rehmat. One day, his father goes missing, and Hamid learns that 786 is "Allah's number." Thereafter, he embarks on a resilient journey to "talk to Allah" over the phone and ask him to send his father back as soon as possible!
Protagonist's innocent, heartening depiction is show-stealer
Hamid's unadulterated innocence, brought perfectly to life by Reshi, is the film's strongest pillar, its binding thread. Kids are untouched by the hate and venom that has come to eat humans alive, and Hamid repeatedly does and says things that portray how children's psyche really works. When he somehow "calls" Allah, all he wants is his father back—no riches, fortune, or wealth.
Film doesn't take any sides while portraying Kashmir
Another strong aspect that saves Hamid from going haywire is how it is politically impartial and shows both sides of the story: the oppressor and the oppressed, the victim and the assailant. However, in a volatile place like Kashmir that burns and blasts every day, such terms are not absolute, with their definitions changing every day, sometimes depending upon who the incumbent leader is.
Parallel lead, Abhay, becomes father Hamid never had
Abhay, a no-nonsense CRPF officer, is the parallel lead, and whenever Hamid thinks he is speaking to Allah, he is actually speaking to the former. Abhay's knee-jerk reaction is annoyance, but that soon turns into a gradual, heartfelt friendship between two people who represent two diametrically different worlds. These worlds, however, are both inflammable and are the result of their unfortunate, miserable circumstances.
Representation of how political pandemonium rips lives, nations apart
While the father-son relationship is the soul and the driving force of Hamid, what also draws us is the portrayal of how people are but mere puppets in a state that has been ripped apart at the seams due to both politics and terrorism. A father is mercilessly separated from his son, a wife's life slips into oblivion, and a family is charred forever.
Heartwarming moments peppered throughout drama
Hamid's heartfelt moments left me with a smile, and there are many of them here. For instance, when Abhay taps into his gentle side and becomes a guardian angel for Hamid (you'll see instances of it in the movie), or when Hamid innocently tells everyone he knows, "I am going to call Allah and bring my father back from him." His incorruptibility is covetous.
Strongly recommend watching 'Hamid'
With surefooted performances by Rasika Dugal, Vikas Kumar, and Sumit Kaul, Hamid makes for a wholesome watch and says a lot without brazenly overdoing or sensationalizing anything. The film knows where to linger for long and where to cut the scene. A story of resilience, political warfare's incessant repercussions on people, and emotional vulnerability, Hamid truly has its heart in the right place.
