What
starts out seeming like a standard “back to the roots” story, becomes a
mystery of both personal and political implications in Shonali Bose’s
feature debut, Amu.Amu is the journey of
Kajori Roy, a 21-year-old Indian American woman who has lived in the US
since the age of 3. After graduating from UCLA Kaju goes to India to visit
her relatives. There she meets Kabir, a college student from an upper
class family who is disdainful of Kaju’s wide-eyed wonder at discovering
the “real India”. Undeterred Kaju visits the slums, crowded markets and
roadside cafes of Delhi. In one slum she is struck by an odd feeling of
déjà vu. Soon after she starts having nightmares. When Kabir discovers
that Kaju was an adopted child, he gets drawn into her personal mystery.
Meanwhile Kaju’s adoptive mother – Keya Roy, a single
parent and civil rights activist in LA, arrives unannounced in Delhi. She
is shocked to discover that Kaju has been visiting the slums. Although
Kaju mistakes her mother’s response to a typical Indian
over-protectiveness – Keya’s fears are deeper rooted.
Slowly Kaju starts piecing together what happened to her
birth parents. Mother and daughter clash as Kaju discovers she has been
lied to her whole life. What was the truth? Why was it suppressed? As Kaju
and Kabir undertake this quest they both discover their families
involvement with a man made tragedy of immense proportions which took
place twenty years before in the capital city of India: the massacre of
thousands of people of the Sikh faith. In a searing climax the young
people are forced to confront the reality of the past and how it affects
the present. |