In conflict-ravaged Kashmir, Adnan - a young boy of a lower middle-class family stretches himself beyond limits to earn a smile on his blind sister’s face by buying her a birthday cake. His efforts however, are left at the mercy of circumstance when, while returning from the town bakery, Adnan’s bicycle chain breaks, causing an unexpected delay. The army checkpoint on his way home is on high alert that night because of an apparent security concern. The army guard, trained to show utmost vigilance in dealing with passersby - even children who have been occasionally deployed by insurgents to carry explosives. The contextual and circumstantial realities of both their worlds collide as Adnan faces intense scrutiny and questioning by the army guard, and has to pass through the barrel of the gun while his sister awaits the birthday cake with hope.

Director Biography - Arif Bashir

Writer-director, Arif Bashir, draws inspiration largely from his personal experiences of growing up in a conflict-ravaged Kashmir. Kasheer Kaete is a glimpse into the arduous life of an ordinary young boy, Adnan, for whom a seemingly simple task of acquiring a birthday cake for his sister turns out to be an arduous endeavour. A writer, poet, and a communications postgraduate who hails from a small village located in Northern Kashmir’s Tangmarg area, Arif Bashir grew up seeing conflict up close and deeply affecting his friends and family, thereby informing his world view. In his debut film he endeavours to document the real and the imaginary, the harsh and the subtle, the substantial as well as nuanced realities of Kashmir, all seen through the eyes and lived experiences of a child. With an eye for detail, sensitivity toward humanitarian issues, and without falling into the trap of propaganda in any manner, Arif Bashir's film presents his homeland as a place in search of peace. Setting his debut film in his native village where he continues to live today, in addition to it being based on an actual incident from his life, has added an emotional as well as nostalgic angle to every creative decision in the making of the film.

Director Statement

All of us have witnessed and experienced conflict in one form or the other and to one degree or the other. When it comes to armed conflicts across the world, there are certain places that have been subjected to prolonged and continued strife, mayhem and bloodshed - Kashmir is one such place. Civilians are left to experience unimaginable trauma that is passed on through generations.

Every conflict that fails to resolve over extended periods of time eventually turns into an industrial complex with multiple stakeholders - subsequently making it more difficult to establish peace and resolve differences. Narratives, counter narratives, propaganda and misinformation exist alongside genuine humanitarian efforts, welfare initiatives and peaceful diplomacy. However, one among the casualties in a conflict discourse is the people’s narrative that is often overshadowed by political agendas and propaganda.

It is therefore a duty on part of writers, filmmakers, poets and artists to preserve the viewpoints of the masses and to uncover the circumstantial realities that often go unnoticed. Suffering in silence, as victims of an externally-driven conflict, civilians and citizens are burdened with the simple struggles of earning a livelihood, maintaining a home, addressing the needs of a family and, sometimes, even daring to dream of a little happiness. Conflict poses interruptions even on the simplest of aspirations.

While several large scale films are made on Kashmir conflict, few have attempted to explore the psychological impacts of conflict on children. Our film tries to highlight the tense situation for both a young boy and an army man - both victims of their own circumstantial realities - who come face to face in a situation that is beyond their control.