Indian film 'Nakkash' showcased at Cannes festival

Indian film 'Nakkash', focussed on communal harmony, made it to the recent 71st Cannes film festival which concluded on Saturday.

The film was chosen by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to represent the spirit of secularism in the country, a release issued by the movie's director, Zaigham Imam said.

Besides 'Nakkash', the Cannes festival, which commenced on May 8, saw Indian films like Nandita Das-directed and Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer 'Manto'.

Nakkash, which stars Inaam-ul-haq and Sharib Hashmi -- the actors of National Award winning film 'Filmistan', is the story of a Muslim craftsman who uses his craft to do engravings in Hindu temples but gets boycotted by his community and faces hardship along with his son.

"I & B Ministry especially chose 'Nakkash' for representing the spirit of communal harmony. The film represents a new and different perspective about India in the backdrop of the holy city Varanasi," Imam said in a statement.

This was the third installment of Zaigham Imam's trilogy of stories revolving around Varanasi.

His first film 'Dozakh: In Search Of Heaven', released in 2015, was based on his novel with the same name. The second film 'Alif' was released it in February 2017.

"I was born in a Muslim family near Banaras. Since childhood I had a peculiar relation with mosques and temples. That bond grew as I started my journey as a journalist and became a successful one. That fascination became the fuel to my stories," he said in the release.

"Nakkash (The Craftsman) is all about humanity and spreading your wings breaking all religious boundaries," Imam said.