We Are Faheem and Karun

It perhaps is no surprise that a film so brimming with love as We Are Faheem and Karun was a real labour of love for Onir, the Indian director, screenwriter, producer and queer activist who first conceived of the film in 2021. Onir initially wanted to make a film based on the true story of a gay man serving as an army major in India, but, whilst homosexuality was decriminalised in 2018, the inclusion of a character in the army meant that the Ministry of Defence would have to grant their permission for the film to be made. They refused, which resulted in the actors, financiers and studio backing out, leaving Onir forced to think of new ways to tell his story. With the army (and even any suggestion of an army uniform) off limits, he chose instead to make the character a security officer from India, who falls in love with a Kashmiri man he meets whilst patrolling the checkpoint in Gurez, a village on the Kashmiri border. Thus, Faheem and Karun were born, and so was the first ever queer Kashmiri love story put to film.

The film opens with swooping bird’s eye shots of immense natural beauty; amidst vast, glittering waters and expansive mountainous terrain, we see vehicles on a narrow, winding road, and follow one in particular; a motorbike. As we continue to admire this staggeringly beautiful setting, to drink in the openness of it all, suddenly the bike stops - at a checkpoint. The freedom of those swooping bird’s eye shots imbues such a feeling of hope, of  awe, of possibility - the sky is literally the limit! - and all of a sudden, we are so jarringly introduced to the man-made divisions and restrictions in place. From the minute Faheem (Tawsif Mir) and Karun (Akash Menon) meet, their chemistry is palpable. Their smiles, their glances, the sweetness, even in the formality of this first meeting, had me instantly invested. After satisfactorily answering Karun's questions and submitting to a bag search, Faheem reaches into his bag and offers Karun an apple from the several he has in there. Karun shakes his head, smiling politely, and Faheem takes a bite of the apple, offering Karun another one from his bag. This time, he accepts, and smilingly bites into his gift as Faheem drives away. The apple instantly brings up images of the forbidden fruit, and there is an unspoken understanding in this moment; only once Faheem has taken a bite does Karun feel safe and emboldened to do so too. An interesting subversion of power, given Karun is the one wearing the uniform, holding a gun, who moments before had been questioning and searching Faheem. And all this in the first five minutes!

What follows is a genuinely beautifully depiction of falling in love against all odds, including a heartwarming montage set to an original song, written for the film. Tawsif Mir and Akash Menon are both brilliant, so natural and understated in their performances, and their love is utterly convincing. But it’s not only this film’s ability to capture romantic love that struck me - through some wonderful performances (such as a luminous Sana Javeid as Faheem’s mother) and characters which subvert so many tropes and stereotypes, there is also a real sense of familial love, of friendship, and of the directors’ own love for the cultures and people portrayed. Amidst the backdrop of very real turmoil and danger, through this wonderful film, Onir highlights the hope found in human connection. The opening of the film read We Are Faheem and Karun, Chapter One, and I very much hope this means we have many more chapters to look forward to.