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!

Be a man and get it back!

Go!

Tall as a tree and still peeing in bed!

All of you old enough to be married

and have your own children!

Will you be doing the same

at your in-laws?

You'll bring nothing but shame on us!

Worthless girls!

Straighten it!

Mother, mother.

- Yes.

Shall we go?

- Get going!

Let's go

We'll sing Lohri

Today is our day

And every home waits for us.

We'll get sweets and money!

Kulbir look!

-That's Kanwar.

How did he get here?

Brother Kanwar?

Kanwar!

How did you get here?

Come down!

Come down.

Let's go!

You're such a rat!

Hurry up!

You always get us in trouble.

Tell me, why did you pee on my bed?

Why did you steal my spool?

- What's so special about you?

Let me see!

- Let me go!

Let me see!

-I want to see.

Kanwar!

He'll be fine. Don't worry.

Bye.

Kulbir, come here.

Come here!

Come here!

Come here!

Come here!

Get up!

Mother.

- Mother.

Come here.

Come here.

Come here!

Mother.

Come here!

Come here!

Mehar! Stop!

Stay out of this!

Leave! Get out!

If anything happens to my son,

I'll cut them to pieces!

Greetings, child!

Our village's champion wrestler.

He's going to make you strong as iron.

- Hello, Sir.

God bless you, son.

Turn this way

Let him take a look

just to check there are no twisted bones.

After your turban ceremony,

I'll take you hunting.

Hunting?

We're going to shoot bears.

Look what I've got for you.

Hold it.

He's fine.

I'm going to make you

as strong as a lion.

What a brave boy my son has become!

I'm so proud of you.

Come here.

Pull this up.

Always keep this cloth tightly tied.

Never forget it.

Once again.

Papaji!

Papaji!

Yes, son?

Blood.

Blood?

Did you hurt yourself when you fell?

How old are you now?

Twelve.

You've grown so quickly, my son.

So quickly you've grown.

Now you've become a real man.

Don't worry.

Kanwar,

don't tell your mother about it.

The room of mangoes, O Mother!

Bring the child to the room of mangoes!

All pain will be assuaged, O Mother!

Teach your son to walk like a fragrance!

Your son!

Teach him to walk like a fragrance!

The room of mangoes, O Mother!

Bring the child to the room of mangoes!

I walk the path of clouds

A son is born into my home! O, I fly!

A son in my home!

A moon glimmers in my home!

My son, my moon!

I fly! I fly!

A boy has come to my home, I fly!

Kanwar!

Neeli, wait!

-No, I have to go.

Neeli!

Your favourite dessert tonight!

I've been singing for you

since you were born.

I also sang at your turban ceremony.

Neeli, look!

What have you found to rob?

Your own people will kill you!

- You think I've come to rob your palace?

Let's see.

What a great hunter!

Show it to me.

The daughter of a gypsy

has come to whore herself?

Don't even try.

You'll never be able to catch me.

Run and we'll see.

Do you always talk like this?

Like what?

- Like you smell sh*t all around you.

I wanted to say sorry for slapping you.

Now, I feel like slapping you again.

So ask me to forgive you.

Have you ever sat in a truck before?

Or are you just a know-all?

Yes, many times.

Fine.

But I always sat in the back.

Never in the front!

Come on.

Today you sit in the front.

I also want to drive a truck.

Will you teach me?

No.

Have you ever gone hunting?

When do girls ever go hunting?

What nonsense you talk!

My father killed a deer once.

And the whole village feasted on it!

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