By AMEESHA MD NATHANIEL
DEHRADUN: On the 22nd of February 2025, the audience got to immerse themselves in the world of Faheem, a passionate Kashmiri college student and Karun, a kind hearted security guard, trying to navigate their relationship in Kashmir. Directed by Onir the film titled ”We are Faheem & Karun” ‘We are Faheem and Karun’ by Onir: an endearing tale of love and human connection set out to capture the essence of everyday life of a gay couple -a narrative going beyond and breaking stereotypes associated with Kashmir as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. The movie was screened at the Jagran Film Festival, Dehradun chapter at Silvercity Cinema Complex.
In the Q&A followed by the screening Onir revealed that the idea of the film was sparked by his desire to showcase the land’s untold stories, moreover to capture the nuanced beauty of the region that is rarely seen in the mainstream cinema which Onir had been enraptured by for the last 18 years. He beautifully portrays this in the Film through Faheem and Karun whose love blossoms quietly amid rugged landscapes, as they navigate the intricate layers of cultural identity and personal duty.
The director recalled the challenges of shooting, where even simple acts of filming demanded extraordinary local support and cooperation. With every scene, he aimed to reflect the purity of daily interactions, celebrating moments of tenderness, struggle, and resilience.
Moreover Akash Menon as Karun, Tawaseef Mir as Faheem and Salman Mir as Zaid do a wonderful job in this heartfelt love story portraying their characters effortlessly. The hall was jam-packed and the audience sat enthralled. Every whispered conversation seemed to enchant them and every sunlit frame sought to narrate a tale of hope, courage, and endearing human connection that tugged at the sensitivity of their hearts. Actor Navneet Gairola conducted the Q&A session.
