Sikandar

<p>Sikandar Raza (Parzan Dastur) is a 14-year-old schoolboy in the Kashmir valley. Ever since his parents were killed by jihadis (militants) 10 years ago, he has lived with his aunt and uncle in a small town called Kupwara in the Kashmir valley. All Sikandar’s desires revolve around the happiness of his foster parents and getting the ball into the goal on the football field. One day, on his way to a school football match, Sikandar finds a gun lying on the path. Despite admonishments by his newly made school friend, 14-year-old Nasreen (Ayesha Kapur), Sikandar picks up the gun and begins a journey into the darker side of his nature. The quiet yet strong Nasreen becomes Sikandar’s conscience keeper. She tries to dissuade him from giving in to the lure of the gun. Sikandar gets embroiled further and further in situations beyond his control, and people get killed. At first, it seems that the happenings occurring alongside Sikandar’s predicament are not connected. But, as layer upon layer is revealed, it becomes clear that Sikandar is the innocent victim in a game being played out between the militants, the army, the peace-bartering politicians, and the religious heads of the little Kashmiri town. The pieces of the puzzle come together at the very end, leading to a shocking revelation. The movie is a portrayal of the molding of child psychology and the making of terrorists. The film was shot at various locations, including , Uri and areas. , film critic of the , gave it a 3.5 star rating. , film critic of , opined that is “a Corking Narrative and Cognent Sketch of Violence”.</p>