Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost

Neeli...

Neeli, open your eyes and look at me.

Grief ages even a creature like me.

Tell me...

What am I?

Who am I?

What curse

have I brought down upon myself?

Neeli...

How many times

must I tell you this tale again?

Neeli...

A long time ago,

this was my home.

And once, this was my country.

Did we beat them back, Umber?

Yes, but they'll be back.

Well done!

You killed one of them.

Why are you bringing this dead Muslim

into our village?

What are you doing, my son?

Don't do it.

Don't poison our waters.

You'll bring down a curse on our village.

It's not our village anymore.

I'll leave them their own ghosts

to haunt them.

A true Sikh would never do this.

- We are nothing now.

Shall we get the women

back to the village?

It'll be safer in the morning.

Congratulations!

Here Mehar, take your daughter.

A daughter is also a blessing.

It's safe now!

The women can return to the village!

We can go back!

It's safe to go back to the village now!

Will you be all right?

- Yes. You go.

Tell my husband I'm here.

-Yes, I'll tell Umber.

Mehar! Mehar!

She's still back there.

Papaji!

Papaji!

Don't you want to see your daughter?

I've seen enough girls.

I'll get the cart for you.

Take care of yourself.

We managed

to hold off their attack last night.

But how long can we survive?

What will we do now?

The elders say the whole village

has to leave by this evening.

Are you ready to leave?

By evening we'll have to leave.

Listen, we cannot take much with us.

Are you sure you want to take me?

You are my wife.

Leave it open.

I don't want them

to break into our house.

You take care of the children.

I'll be back. Go!

Now, poison your own people.

The Partition had scattered us

like birds in a storm.

It took me four years

to get back on my feet.

They've brought you what they looted

from those who fled to Pakistan.

Have a look...

These will look good in your new home!

Papaji, is this for me?

Tomorrow we'll go to the jeweller

and get earrings for all of you.

We'll soon get back all your gold

that went into this house.

The house still needs a lot of work.

We'll worry about the gold later.

Let me worry about that.

What do you want to do

with your parents' house?

You are never going to go there.

It's so far away.

You know Uncle Keerath wants it.

He'll never pay what it's worth.

I'd love

to take the children there one day.

Show them

what their mother's home was like!

It could help us

with the girls' dowry later.

Oh, their younger brother is on his way.

He will take care of that.

I'm not going back to the forest.

Until he is born

I will stay here with you.

It will be a girl again.

You'll see, this time it will be a boy.

Why have you come in?

You'll kill me if it isn't a boy?

Once more like a true lioness!

Be brave like a true Sikh!

You've already had three children!

She doesn't want to come into this world.

With more force.

Good.

Good.

Good.

Good.

Good.

Oh! Very good!

Congratulations!

Look, Mehar!

A son's come to our home!

You've had a boy!

Here, look!

Look!

After three daughters, we've had a son.

What are you doing?

You need to rest.

You need to rest.

Don't do this.

It's better to kill her.

What are you saying?

We finally have a son.

She's so beautiful.

My son!

My son!

Kanwar, come down!

Come down.

Come and bathe!

Papaji!

Come, come!

My moon!

Papaji!

Pull it up!

Pull.

Give it back!

Give me back my spool!

Pull.

Papaji!

Hold this...

- Papaji!

Kulbir and Sohni!

They ran off with my kite-spool!

I don't ever want to see you

crying like a girl!

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