Bollywood Star Naseeruddin Shah Dives into Documentary World with 'Far From Home'

Put your hands together for Naseeruddin Shah, an iconic actor from the realm of Indian cinema, who is taking on a new role off-screen for the Oscar-qualified documentary, "Far From Home". This is Shah's first dance with documentary producing, revealing a fresh side to the seasoned actor we all know and love.

"Far From Home" is in the running for Best Documentary Short at the Academy Awards. It tells a raw and moving tale of Samira Faizi, an Afghan refugee who sought sanctuary in India after the Taliban takeover in 2021. This is not your typical narrator-led refugee saga, but rather a people's story that paints an intimate portrait of the struggles refugees face in an unfamiliar land.

Faizi found herself in a changing India, a country that had started to close its arms to refugees. The film sheds light on how legislative changes like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) affect refugees like Samira. This law excludes Muslim refugees from a path to citizenship, leaving refugees like those from Afghanistan feeling lost and without a home to return to.

"Film is history in motion," said Shah, "I firmly believe that it's the best tool we have for capturing a moment in time. With that in mind, I view documentaries as invaluable time capsules for future generations. They are arguably more precious than feature-length films.”

Kumar, a former journalist, brought up an important point about the perception of refugees in India. "Refugee rights are a minefield politically, and given the current climate, refugees are often reluctant to speak up or be visible in public," he said. The courage shown by Samira in sharing her story and raising global awareness about the situation of Afghan refugees in India is truly laudable, he articulated.

Kumar continued, "When we think about refugees, we often picture them in boats headed for Europe, or at the US-Mexico border. But it's rare for people to consider the refugees who live in corners of the world where there's no protocol for integrating them."

"Far From Home" was produced by Emmy-winner Brent E. Huffman and backed financially by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. It has proven to be a promising contender, having been honoured as a finalist for the prestigious Japan Prize and the first runner-up for Best Short Documentary at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival.

The production has already made waves at several festivals, including the Oscar-qualifying American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and the Tasveer Film Festival. As part of its Oscars campaign, the documentary is set to grace screens at more film fests across the US. Stay tuned for updates!