The court of additional district judge Srinagar has put a stay on the release of the movie ‘Half Widow’ directed former bureaucrat Farooq Renzu’s son Danish Renzu.
The court while hearing the case filed by Shafi Ahmad Wani, author of the book titled ‘Half Widow’ has passed the direction as an interim relief to the author who has alleged that the story of the movie has been copied from his book.
“Till next hearing non/applicants are directed not to release, telecast, exhibit, view in public or private or otherwise making public by placing on social media the film/movie/motion picture under name Half Widow,” the court’s stay order reads
However the trailers of the movie are already out and the story pertains to a the struggle of one Kashmiri woman, Neela, whose husband is suddenly taken away one night, by security forces.
The movie showcases the plight of a woman who lost her husband and it is her journey as a half-widow not knowing whether her husband is dead or alive.
The film has been generating a lot of buzz as it highlights the Kashmir’s half widows through an insider’s view.
Interestingly, the director, dialogue writer, actors and singers of the film are all Kashmiris – both Muslims and Pandits. The film is co-produced by Danish Renzu and Gaya Bhola who are also the story writer and script writers respectively.
Pertinently Shafi’s book the Half Widow published in 2012, tells the story of Salma whose husband Aslam, is taken away one night by gunmen, while waiting at a bus stop, in a car without number plates.
Later, Salma is informed that someone saw Aslam in the district jail. It is not clear why Aslam was imprisoned, for he was a government worker and not a militant.
Half widow is a term used extensively in Kashmir for women whose husbands have disappeared mostly in custody of security forces in the past 28 years of conflict. According to association of parents of disappeared persons (APDP), around 8000-10,000 persons disappeared Kashmir and left some 1500 half widows. The government, however, disputes these figures.
Half Widow book author and petitioner in the case Shafi Ahmad Wani wasn’t available for comment on the development.
ADJ Srinagar court stays release of ‘Half Widow’
