Kai Po Che

Ahmedabad in Gujarat has always been a unique city in India; its characteristics were carved in stone centuries ago. Mysterious labyrinths and secret passages unite the ancient quarters, in which Ishaan, Omi and Govind grew up. At the beginning of the film, the three rather different friends decide to make their dream come true by turning their passion for cricket into business. From scratch, yet with a vision, they build a cricket academy for the players of tomorrow. Time seems to be on their side until heavy communal violence between Hindus and Muslims erupts all over Gujarat in February 2002. Kai Po Che recalls one of the darkest chapters in recent Indian history in an emotional story of friendship and betrayal that captures its forebodings as well as the painful aftermath. Skilfully merging traditional elements of mainstream Indian filmmaking, a sensitive score and exquisite use of unique locations, Kai Po Che stands out as an example of modern cinema from Bollywood. It deals with India’s reality in a distinctive manner, and is surprisingly different in its ambition to bring back to public debate events which were almost forgotten and covered up for too long.