In the winter of 1924, India, a young man, while being recruited for a covert mission, grapples with the moral complexities of the Indian Independence Struggle, entwined with the haunting plight of children caught in conflict zones.
Prataya Saha wrote and directed this succinct short film, capturing a compelling historical moment that undeniably resonates today. It is focused on a small group of freedom fighters, an informant, and the larger consequences of rebellion under a colonial occupation. “1924 – The Kakori Project” is set during the Indian revolution, which continued until the successful ousting of the British occupation in 1947. The Kakori Conspiracy led to an audacious train robbery in 1925, where revolutionaries looted a train car carrying taxes plundered from India, being transported to the British treasury. Unfortunately, several of the revolutionaries were executed, including their leader Ram Prasad Bismil.
Saha begins his film with a man sitting by the river reading ‘Anandmath (Abbey of Bliss)’ by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. The novel concerns the titular rebel movement, the first group to fight against the exploitative British East India Company during the Sannyasi Rebellion in the late 18th century. “Anandmath” captures the nuances of struggle that people living under a foreign occupation face when trying to organize and how internal issues like the Hindu-Muslim conflicts led to further atomization – ultimately resulting in the colonial occupation’s favor.
After the reader is interrupted by a familiar man asking him if he is ready to carry out a bloody task, the man shuts his book and throws it on the ground before walking away. The reader knows this task might satisfy the rebel group’s thirst for vengeance, but this act of murder will shatter an innocent child’s life and possibly work against their collective cause. A speech by Gandhi calling for peaceful resistance against their British colonizers is briefly played over the airwaves but cut short, falling on deaf ears.
After my first watch, I was left wanting more. At under five minutes, it is a very brief short. But upon my second viewing, the sparse details and plot profoundly impacted me. Historically, decolonization has been messy, and “1924 – The Kakori Project” showcases a few repercussions of these uprisings. Such as children being witness to horrendous acts, people having to lose a piece of their souls to achieve these victories, and the distrust that can form among a large population fighting for liberation. This story deserves to be expanded into a feature, and it would be incredible to see a reenactment of the Kakori train robbery of 1925.
“1924 – The Kakori Project” is currently playing on the Film Festival Circuit
