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"If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here."
This was poet Firdaus’ exclamation when he saw the valley of Kashmir for the first time. What happened to this paradise on earth? One gets a small glimpse of things we do not know happened to the children of Kashmir who are innocent of all the political implications in the Kashmir conflict and its constant impact on the lives of ordinary people. This comes across in Angels of Troubled Paradise, a 26-minute-long documentary by Raja Shabir Khan. The film tracks three years in the life of 11-year-old Adil, who grows to be 14 when the film ends. The film is dedicated to the memory of filmmaker Raja Shabir Khan’s cousin who was shot dead in 1992 by Indian forces when he was just 11. Adil, the protagonist, is also 11 when the film opens. There is a beautiful prologue that shows visuals of a shikara being rowed by a boatman on Dal Lake shot in silhouette against a setting sun. This is followed by the beautiful landscape of Kashmir filled with snow-capped mountains and tall trees with the soundtrack playing traditional Kashmiri music. The scene cuts to a boy and a girl walking through tall blades of grass to school. This rhythm of peace and harmony is suddenly shaken by the sound of gunshots as the camera cuts to scenes of armed forces walking through smoke-filled gullies and pictures of wailing mothers grieving the dead. The film tracks the everyday life of Adil, who lives in Srinagar, based on an occupation no civilian in the rest of India can even dream of. Adil is the sole earning member of a very poor family. He is a school dropout, who collects used tear smoke shells from different places in the city and sells them as scrap to the scrap dealers to eke out a living. The scrap dealers do not accept shells with the remnant of the gas inside. So Adil and other boys like him must empty the shells. Some of these are ‘live’ which carry the risk of the boys losing their lives in case of an explosion. "Are you not afraid of the police and the military?" asks the voice-over. "I used to be, but I am not afraid anymore. I pose to be a gentle boy and they don’t say anything," he says. He puts a pinch of salt under his tongue in case he begins to experience tears from a live shell because, "salt dilutes the effect of smoke." Adil has become an expert in removing the denonator and take out the explosive material from inside. He says, "It is better to die bravely collecting shells than out of hunger." His dream is to buy a study desk for his little sister. When he saved enough from his meagre earnings to buy one, the money had to be used in a nasal surgery for the sister! So he is saving again. He is able to sell around two to three kg of shells per day and gives the money to his parents for the family’s expenses. "I spent almost three years on making the Angels of Troubled Paradise," says director Shabir Khan, about this film which was one among three prize-winners at the Asian Pitch in 2010. "Because of the nature and theme of the film, I faced a tough time while shooting it. The security scenario demanded extreme care and caution and it was not advisable to move with a full-fledged crew," he adds. The film also received the second prize in the documentary section at the 3rd Siliguri International Film Festival. It received high commendation for its in-depth and time-based exploration of the conflict in Kashmir seen from a completely different perspective. "Having got close to Adil, his family and his friends, I practically experienced at first hand the truth behind the adage "survival of the fittest" as children like Adil know it best," Raja Shabir Khan sums up.
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