Today marks the extremely anticipated premiere of `We Are Faheem & Karun` on the Dharamshala International Film Festival, a movie helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Onir and that includes Kashmiri actor Mir Tawseef in his debut lead position as Faheem. Set towards the beautiful but complicated panorama of Kashmir, the movie tells the story of a school pupil navigating the layers of identification, belonging, and resilience in his homeland.
Mir Tawseef makes debut as lead actor
Mir Tawseef, initially from Srinagar, moved to Delhi for his training, the place he initially made his mark by way of modeling for manufacturers like Parle, Hilton, and Raymonds, and collaborating with iconic designers like Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra. However, a life-changing alternative got here when he auditioned for Onir’s movie, main him to transition to Mumbai to carry Faheem’s character to life.
Onir expressed his pleasure about discovering Tawseef, “I’m very proud to introduce Mir Tawseef as Faheem in We Are Faheem & Karun. Finding a Kashmiri actor was a problem, however from the second I noticed Mir’s on-line audition, I knew he was Faheem. The magnificence and sensitivity he brings to the character are wonderful for a debut actor. I’m certain he has much more to supply to Bollywood and past.”
Tawseef, in flip, shared his gratitude for this chance: “I’m extremely grateful and honored to be forged because the lead on this movie. It’s a privilege to carry this story to life below the visionary route of Onir, who beforehand gave me the invaluable alternative to help in two of his movies, My Melbourne and Pinecone. Thank you for believing in my potential and entrusting me with this position. I’m keen to present it my all and make you proud as we embark on this journey collectively.”
About Onir`s directorial We Are Faheem & Karun
The movie was impressed by the lifetime of a former main, who got here out as homosexual and needed to depart the Indian Army as LGBTQIA+ people can not formally serve within the army. However, the MoD rejected the script over the “unlawful” depiction of a queer soldier and refused to grant it a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The movie was then reimagined as a same-sex love story of Karun, a safety guard from Kerala stationed at a development web site in Kashmir, and Faheem, a neighborhood Kashmiri faculty pupil.
Using his voice to push for queer identification in mainstream films, Onir says that regardless of the setback, he has ensured that We Are Faheem & Karun stayed true to the story he meant to inform. Reflecting on its themes, he shares, “Like I Am [2010], this speaks about identities. This is particular for me because it’s set after the 2018 Supreme Court judgment on IPC 377. The movie portrays that despite the judgment, we, as a society, are so fragmented that acceptance in lots of areas remains to be troublesome, and younger queer people nonetheless battle to be proud about who they’re. This movie seeks empathy and kindness, and speaks of the loss and ache that’s inflicted on people. Why would the acceptance of one thing that doesn’t have an effect on your private life be so troublesome?”
