I wanted to discuss another documentary film I recently saw called ‘Chitti Hatia’ or White Shops. It was a brief (one hour) but moving film about a man’s search for his grandfather’s home in what is now Pakistan. About humanity and humility, simplicity and forgiveness. From the film’s blog:
Chitti Hatia, the story of Bittoo Sondhi, a Delhi based biker and his triumph over the unknown. Bittoo’s father, at the age of thirteen, migrated to India during the partition. This 52 minute film explores the streets of Rawalpindi, to help Bittoo fulfill his fathers’ long cherished dream of revisiting his birth place-a wish which could not be realized till his death. Bittoo however got an opportunity to fulfill his fathers dream when his cartoonist friend Sharad Sharma received an invitation to run a comics workshop in Lahore.
Once the workshop was over, both Bittoo and Sharad set out on a mission to search for Bittoo’s ancestral house in Rawalpindi. Chitti Hatia is not just a search, but rather a chronicle which talks about partition and a family that was forced to migrate from Pakistan and as well helps to break the stereotypical image of Pakistan. It takes the viewers on a journey across the border to show them that the people there are as friendly as they are on this side of the border-helpful, hospitable and compassionate.
See this interview with the creators (in Hinglish):
The film gives us a multi-dimensional look at partition. It starts with the personal psychological turmoil of Bittoo at not being able to help his father’s wish, then presents a series of interviews with his elderly family members to give us an idea of how his father got to India–by himself at the age of 13. The suspense builds as they set out for their search in Pakistan, and the audience is gripped by the uncertainty of whether or not he will actually find the home. I won’t spoil the ending, but I will just say that I was really struck by the poignancy of this film which speaks the simple truth that we are all humans linked together, regardless of what has happened in the past to make it seem like we are separate.
The film was shown by the Jaipur branch of an organisation called Pravah which seeks to promote youth leadership and civic action.
