Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
Posted on: February 24, 2025 | 
Some films are made to tell a captivating story, others are motivated by the pursuit of profit, and some are created as a tribute to the art of cinema itself. I recently watched Pakistan’s first Sindhi film in nearly three decades, at its Karachi Premiere, and it embodied all of these qualities. A perfect story, excellent production and a perfect cinematic experience, ‘Sindhu Ji Goonj’ also known as Indus Echoes is the first Sindhi film since Himmat was released in 1997.
Vajdaan Shah and Samina Sehar in the film.
The release of Indus Echoes in Jaipur on January 21, 2025, marked a historic moment for the Pakistan film industry. With absolutely no Sindhi films in production for years, and a huge market and subjects available, it was the brainchild of film critic-turned-filmmaker Rahul Aijaz, to opt for a meaningful film. Rahul has attended various film and screenwriting fellowships around the world and wanted to put Sindhi films back on the map. He joined hands with film critic-turned-producer Kamran Jawaid and together they managed to bring a decent movie to the cinemas.
Ansaar Mahar and Samina Sehar in the film.
Usually, watching a regional film has often been a 'painstaking' experience for me, but the 70-minute film, entirely in Sindhi, with no color, background music absent, and short lines for characters, was magic. Indus Echoes is an anthology of five stories centered on the Indus River. The director not only explores how humans use and abuse the river for their needs but also gives the river its own "feelings", which adds a unique, almost spiritual layer to the narrative. The Indus River has flowed for centuries, bearing witness to the rise and fall of civilizations and all the changes in human history. It has been here forever and watched history unfold. Weaving together a handful of stories and connecting them was, in itself, a challenging task. The characters in these stories are the people who live by the river, who depend on it for sustenance, who revere its beauty, and who understand its deeper pain. The first is the story of three brothers, bound by blood but consumed by greed, a force so strong it leads them to betray and kill one another. The second follows another set of brothers, fishermen who hesitate to venture out into the open. Their greatest fear is leaving the river behind and cutting ties with their way of life, especially the prospect of moving to the city. Next, there’s a poet who plans to move after viewing the floating corpse. He asks his beloved to accompany him but she declines, deciding to remain closer to her roots. In the fourth story, a couple did stumble upon the floating corpse but decide to ignore it. The final story is about the river itself, its quiet, ever-flowing presence. Astonishingly, only three actors portray these characters. All the tales are linked with a floating corpse, symbolizing the 'death' of the river itself. Vajdaan Shah, Ansaar Mahar and Samina Seher, are the only actors who star in the film, with no more than two characters present in each of the first four stories. Vajdaan and Ansaar star in three of the four, while Samina excels in both the stories she appeared on-screen.
The three actors. (L to R) Ansaar Mahar, Samina Sehar and Vajdaan Shah.
With only the sounds of waves and birds chirping accompanying the visuals, it drew the viewer’s attention even more to the narrative. With constant blowing winds and the sound of the water, one feels they are living in the moment. Set in modern-day Sindh, Indus Echoes has stories that explore the relationship between the Sindhi populace and the river.
Vajdaan Shah and Ansaar Mahar in Indus Echoes.
The movie makes the neglect of the river over the years painfully clear. For the fishermen, the sound of the train symbolizes the call to abandon the river and move forward. The poet’s desire to explore represents a loss for the river, while those who do recognize its sad state are left with a sense of guilt as they choose to move on.
Ansaar Mahar and Samina Sehar in Indus Echoes.
Produced by Anthem films, it has renowned actor Shamoon Abbasi on board as Executive Producer. The movie is the first-ever coproduction between Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South Korea. Made in collaboration with Pakistan's 'Film N Chips Media Productions', 'Sham Films', and South Korea's 'Big Meta Films' it had an international premiere at the Jaipur International Film Festival on January 21, 2025. The Indus blew the neighbors away, as was evident from the reviews received. The movie will be screened in Pakistan in mid-2025. If you're looking for murder, item songs, excessive action, or long-winded dialogues, this is not the film for you. It requires patience and a deep understanding of its subject. The movie tackles a serious issue, exploring the intricate relationship between the people and the river. As Rahul Aijaz himself puts it, it’s not the revival but the rebirth of Sindhi Cinema.
You may also like:
