{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Parzania | image = Parzania.jpg | caption = | director = Rahul Dholakia | producer = Rahul Dholakia<br />Kamal Patel | writer = David N. Donihue<br />Rahul Dholakia | starring = Naseeruddin Shah<br />Sarika<br />Corin Nemec<br />Raj Zutshi<br />Parzan Dastur | music = Zakir Hussain<br />Taufiq Qureshi | cinematography = Robert D. Eras | editing = Aarif Sheikh | distributor = PVR Pictures | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2005|11|26|film festival|2007|1|26|theatrical}} | runtime = 122 minutes | country = India | language = English | budget = US$700,000<ref name="SF_Chronicle">{{cite news|title=Film about massacre banned in India state|last=Chu|first=Henry|work=The Los Angeles Times|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=25 February 2007|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/25/MNGGKOAR6A1.DTL&type=politics|accessdate=22 February 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | gross = }}
'''''Parzania''''' (translation: ''Heaven and hell on earth''<ref name="all_movie">{{cite web|title=Heaven & Hell On Earth - Overview|website=Allmovie|url=http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:343140|accessdate =22 February 2009}}</ref>) is a 2007 Indian drama film co-written and directed by Rahul Dholakia; David N. Donihue is the other co-writer. The film featured Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles, while Corin Nemec and Raj Zutshi played supporting roles. Made on a budget of US$700,000, the film was shot in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
The film is inspired by the true story of Rupa Mody, a Parsi woman whose ten-year-old son, Azhar Mody (represented in the film as the character Parzaan Pithawala) disappeared after the 28 February 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre during which 69 people were killed and which was one of the violent episodes of the communal riots in Gujarat.<ref name="ex">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Apex-court-SIT-submits-report-on-Gulbarg-Society-massacre/Article1-543728.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606060611/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Apex-court-SIT-submits-report-on-Gulbarg-Society-massacre/Article1-543728.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 June 2011|title=Apex court SIT submits report on Gulbarg Society massacre|date=14 May 2010|work=The Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite news | url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/modis-blog-evokes-anger-among-victims/article5512951.ece | title = Modi's blog evokes anger among victims | newspaper = The Hindu | date = 2013-12-09 | accessdate = 2013-12-29 }}</ref> The film traces the journey of the Pithawala family while trying to locate their missing son.
The film was premiered at 36th India International Film Festival in Goa on 26 November 2005, before being released nationwide on 26 January 2007.<ref name="IFFI_Premiere">{{cite news|title=Turnout spells success for IFFI|last=Kamath|first=Sudhish|newspaper=The Hindu|date=3 December 2005|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/03/stories/2005120303661300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060305145331/http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/03/stories/2005120303661300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 March 2006|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref>
==Plot== Allan (Corin Nemec), an American, arrives in Ahmedabad searching for answers, to find internal peace and to understand the world and his troubled life. He chooses India as his school and Gandhi as the subject of his thesis. It is here that he meets the Pithawala family — Cyrus (Naseeruddin Shah), his wife Shernaz (Sarika), son Parzan (Parzan Dastur) and daughter Dilshad (Pearl Barsiwala). The Pithawalas being Parsis follow Zoroastrianism. Through them and the teachings of a Gandhian, Allan starts to find peace of mind.
The plot is based on the story of Rupa Mody, whose son went missing after the 2002 Gujarat riots.<ref name="thehindu.com"/> The ten-year-old Parzan disappears during these riots when their surrounding homes are attacked. Cyrus, Shernaz and Dilshad manage to escape the carnage. In the aftermath of the riots, Cyrus searches for his missing child while fighting for his own sanity. While assisting the Pithawalas in their search, Allan battles to uncover the reason behind the riots in an effort to make some sense of the incident. People start to question government's official explanation of the incident which downplays any conspiracy. As a result, a Human Rights Commission is formed. Through the commission, several witnesses and victims testify against the indifference of the police to protect them from the rioters. The film ends with a dedication to the victims of communal violence.
==Cast== [[File:Sarika.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Sarika won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2005 for her performance as ''Shernaz'' in this film.]] * Naseeruddin Shah as Cyrus * Corin Nemec as Allan * Sarika as Shernaz * Parzan Dastur as Parzan * Pearl Barsiwalla * Raj Zutshi * Asif Basra * Pushpendra Saini * Ram Gopal Bajaj
[[File:The child star of Film ‘Parzania’, Pearl at a Press Conference at the 36th International Film Festival of India – 2005 in Panaji, Goa on November 28, 2005.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Pearl Barsiwalla addressing press conference, IFFI (2005) ]]
==Production== In the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, Los Angeles-based director Rahul Dholakia faced a personal tragedy. The riots left his friend's family shattered and this left an indelible mark on him. It hurt him all the more because the incidents happened in his home state. He felt responsible, both morally and socially, and wanted to speak up as a filmmaker.<ref name="Dholakia_1">{{cite news|title=Parzania director: 2006's National award winner?|last=Sen|first=Raja|work=Rediff.com|date=30 August 2006|url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/30rahul.htm|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref> Most of the US$700,000 budget came from two of his Indian friends in the United States.<ref name="NYTimes">{{cite news|title=In India, Showing Sectarian Pain to Eyes That Are Closed |last=Sengupta|first=Somini|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 February 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/movies/20parz.html?_r=3&oref=slogin|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref> Dholakia chose to make the film in English because he thought that communal riots was a global issue. Furthermore, he was unsure whether he could have the film released in India, given the sensitive nature of the film.<ref name="Dholakia_2">{{cite news|title=Being Cyrus and Shernaz|last=Banerjee|first=Poulomi|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=24 January 2007|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070124/asp/calcutta/story_7303025.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006084055/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070124/asp/calcutta/story_7303025.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 October 2008|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref>
While deciding on the cast, Dholakia said that they were not looking at people's physical appearances. He added: <blockquote>We didn't want glamorous people to play realistic roles. We've shot the film without any makeup, etc. We needed people who looked believable. So casting did play a major role, and I'm not even talking about the principal cast. Every actor in the film has been auditioned, and that includes people with one line to say or not even that.<ref name="Dholakia_3">{{cite news|title=Will Parzania reach theatres?|last=Sen|first=Raja|work=Rediff.com|date=31 August 2006|url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/31rahul.htm|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref></blockquote>
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was the first and obvious choice for the film. But Dholakia was very apprehensive about whether Shah would agree to do the film, and if he could pay his remuneration. His latter worry was because the film started out as a very low-budget film. After Dholakia narrated the script to him, Shah said, "I agree in principle, provided we make this sensitively and sensibly."<ref name="Dholakia_3" /> Shah thought that the film's story needed to be told, and he felt that he had to be part of it. After agreeing to join the cast, Shah did not actively research for his character. Being a parent himself, he felt that it was not difficult for him to empathize with the family whose son was lost in the riots.<ref name="Dholakia_2" /> After 18 years of hiatus, Sarika chose to return to cinema with this film. Since the film dealt with a real and sensitive issue, she felt that ''Parzania'' went beyond than being just a film.<ref name="sarika_1">{{cite news|title='I've matured over the years'|last=Mathur|first=Barkha|newspaper=The Times of India|date=9 August 2007|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nagpur-times/ive-matured-over-the-years/articleshow/2266215.cms|accessdate=25 February 2009}}</ref> Despite facing the camera after a long gap, Sarika felt quite comfortable during the shooting.<ref name="sarika_2">{{cite news|title=18 ''saal baad''...|last=Nair|first=Suresh|work=Times News Network|publisher=The Times of India|date=22 July 2004|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bombay-times/18-saal-baad-/articleshow/786451.cms|accessdate=25 February 2009}}</ref>
Shortly thereafter, Shah, Sarika and Dholakia went through the script in great detail. Owing to their screen and real-life experiences, Shah and Sarika suggested changes and revised the script several times.<ref name="Dholakia_3" />
Because the film was about communal riots in Gujarat, the film was purposefully not released there, as the cinema owners refused to screen it, fearing backlash.<ref name="release_1">{{cite news|title=Flicker of hope for Parzania in Gujarat|date=28 January 2007|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-28/ahmedabad/27876901_1_multiplex-owners-association-ashok-purohit-wide-angle-multiplex|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022074427/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-28/ahmedabad/27876901_1_multiplex-owners-association-ashok-purohit-wide-angle-multiplex|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012|work=The Times of India|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="release_2">{{cite news|title=Parzania director's offer to Gujarat exhibitors|newspaper=The Hindu|date=3 February 2007|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/03/stories/2007020317621100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206013741/http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/03/stories/2007020317621100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 February 2007|accessdate=22 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="release_3">{{cite news|title=Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!|last=Sharma|first=Radha|newspaper=The Times of India|date=3 February 2007|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gujarat-will-see-Parzania-if-Bajrangi-says-OK/articleshow/1559020.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103085614/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-02-03/ahmedabad/27878679_1_special-screening-babu-bajrangi-cinema-halls|url-status=live|archive-date=3 January 2013|access-date=22 February 2009}}</ref> After an initiative by ANHAD, a civil rights group, the film was screened at some places in the state after April 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gujarat-finally-screens-parzania/39075-8.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012163940/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gujarat-finally-screens-parzania/39075-8.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 October 2012|title=Gujarat finally screens Parzania|date=24 April 2007|publisher=CNN-IBN}}</ref>
==Awards and honours== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result |- |rowspan=2|2007 |rowspan=2|National Film Awards<ref>{{cite web |title=53rd National Film Awards – 2006 |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm53NFAAward.aspx |publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals |accessdate=1 December 2012 |page=30|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815224948/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/Frm53NFAAward.aspx |archivedate=15 August 2016 }}</ref> |Best Director |Rahul Dholakia ||{{won}} |- |Best Actress || Sarika ||{{won}} |- |rowspan=3|2008 |rowspan=2|Filmfare Awards || Best Story |rowspan=2|David N. Donihue, Rahul Dholakia || {{nom}} |- |Best Screenplay || {{nom}} |- |Screen Awards ||Ramnath Goenka Memorial Award || Rahul Dholakia<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080113000844/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/35844.html 'Rahul Dholakia' Wins Ramnath Goenka Memorial Award] ''IndiaGlitz'', 11 January 2008.</ref> ||{{won}} |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=0433425|title=Parzania}}
{{Rahul Dholakia}} {{2002 Gujarat Violence}}
Category:2005 films Category:2005 drama films Category:Indian films based on actual events Category:English-language Indian films Category:Indian drama films Category:Films about the 2002 Gujarat riots Category:Films set in Ahmedabad Category:Films featuring a Best Actress National Award–winning performance Category:Films whose director won the Best Director National Film Award Category:Films shot in Gujarat Category:Films directed by Rahul Dholakia Category:2005 English-language films Category:Film censorship in India Category:Censored films Category:Films about Zoroastrianism Category:2005 controversies Category:English-language drama films