This review is written by Peevesie’s mom
Though made in 1998, the movie itself had its story based in Pre independence India. It showed how the common folk reacted to the Hindu Muslim tensions back then. Even feelings as tender as love was given a kick when it came to religious sentiments. (At least that is what all the movies that are placed in that period depict. Sometimes I feel that thank god we were not born back then. But then I do not think we are living any differently even now in the 2000s, are we?).
This movie was part of Deepa Mehta’s Elements trilogy-Fire (1996), Earth (1998) and lastly Water (2005). She was inspired by Ismat Chugtai’s 1941 story Lihaf (The Quilt) for Fire. Earth was inspired from the Ice Candyman (1988) which was written by Bapsi Sidhwa (I think). And finally Water was set in the India of 1938 and explored the lives of widows at an ashram in Kashi (Varanasi). This was later written into a novel by Bapsi Sidwa in 2006 (case of reverse inspiration here).
1947 Earth starred Aamir Khan, Rahul Khanna & Nandita Das in the main lead. Shabana Azmi played the character the little Parsi girl grows up into. The movie was critically acclaimed (do not know anything about its commercial standing).
Bollywood movies 