30 years of Roja: The story of a determined girl who refused to give up

Political features set in troubled times often see individual actors struggle unsuccessfully against forces beyond their comprehension. Maachis has Kripal (Chandrachur Singh) and Veeran (Tabu) consumed by the flames of hate and distrust amidst the Punjab insurgency of the 80s. Similarly, Black Friday sees Badshah Khan (Aditya Srivastav) left in the lurch by those he trusted while being hunted for carrying out the 1993 Bombay blasts.

Roja, released 30 years back on Independence Day, peers into the Kashmir troubles through the eyes of a kidnapped cryptologist Rishi Kumar (Arvind), and his wife, Roja ( Madhoo). However, the disturbed state is more of a background as the focus remains on the couple’s struggle to reunite in almost impossible circumstances.

Still, Mani Ratnam manages to give us the essence of fear that had gripped Kashmir during the period: Explosions disrupting an army training routine, scores of civilians rounded up during a curfew, an attack on the army convoy, and even the most innocent act of breaking a coconut in front of a temple leading to armed police-men being alerted. While the movie doesn’t bring a multifaceted discussion on the issue to the table, say in the manner of Maachis and Khalistan movement, it amplifies the tension and builds up the challenge before Roja and Rishi.

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Standing against this terror is their undying love, which is crafted beautifully throughout the movie. It is built with AR Rahman’s brilliance in the music department assisted by P.K. Mishra’s lyrics (in the Hindi version), matched by the cinematographic magic which associates nature and its inhabitants with the lives of the lovers. Ye Haseen Waadiyaan depicts how Roja and Rishi are enamoured by Kashmir’s beauty, which in turn supports and strengthens their love. In the song, this union is approved by a group of local women whose dance is choreographically linked to Roja’s throes of passion. These powerful images create an impression that their love is sanctioned by the valley itself.

Things take a drastic turn after Rishi is abducted by armed men right before Roja’s eyes. His abductors led by Liaqat (Pankaj Kapur), demand the release of their compatriot Wasim Khan (Shiva Rindani) in exchange. While Rishi tries his best to outthink and outrun his kidnappers, from here on the movie is primarily about Roja’s struggle to get her husband back.

Roja is introduced to us as an adventurous village girl with high hopes, ready to take on the world and win the stars. Her innocence is informed by honesty, and doesn’t become a weakness. She doesn’t mince words, readily challenging what she perceives to be a wrong union despite her conservative upbringing. When misunderstandings are cleared and the couple settle down, her fierce determination forces Rishi to take her to Kashmir despite his initial reluctance.

She faces the biggest challenge of her life after Rishi is taken away. She is in a land where she has trouble explaining herself due to linguistic barriers (brilliantly shown in the original version), lacks any special resources at her disposal or contacts at higher places. However, this doesn’t deter her or prove to be a setback.

When Roja comes across the news of a very graphic threat made by the terrorists to her husband’s life, she doesn’t breakdown but runs straight to the police station instead to push for his release yet again. She had been there earlier, and inspite of the language issues managed to gain everyone’s attention. This is conveyed through the scene where her shrill cries for help force the SHO and other police officers to take her seriously despite having trouble understanding her.

On her second visit she refuses to even leave the station, compelling the authorities to come to her. She is confronted by vested interests with their ideological considerations, but doesn’t budge. When Colonel Rayappa (Nassar) gives her a sermon commanding Roja to do away with her selfishness and think about the nation first, her simple retort is to ask him whether he would’ve said the same things if the kidnapped person was the relative of a minister.

This hard-hitting reply not only depicted the real moral predicament of this situation but also showed a commoner’s plight when interacting with the state in such circumstances. When Roja asks if her husband’s life is less important for the government as compared to that of someone ‘important’, we understand her anguish.

Roja is determined not to leave Kashmir without getting her husband back. She is ready to approach all the parties involved to ensure Rishi’s safety and release. This means even visiting the dreaded terrorist Wasim Khan, whose interests are opposed to hers. She listens to his dogmatic ramblings because it allows her half a chance to get her point across.

She runs from pillar to post, doesn’t give up hope even after government adopts a hard-line approach against the separatists, and uses all the skills at her disposal including her adamant will to get her way. This becomes overdramatic when Roja is shown to be present at all possible moments when her husband could be rescued by the army, but these scenes reiterate her devotion to the cause.

In the end, we get a romantic ending to the saga as Rishi escapes right before Wasim Khan is released. Even as Roja is overwhelmed with emotions she breaks down and one can feel that a heavy weight has been lifted off her shoulders. The conflict might continue, but Roja’s war is over.

She braves out the toughest of times and doesn’t give up even when confronted with circumstances beyond her control. This matched by Rishi’s determination to live, helps the couple get back together.

Madhoo was exceptional in portraying the complexities of Roja’s struggles and brought nuance to her character, who starts as a bubbly villager but later turns into a relentless force to save the love of her life.

Divy Tripathi is an independent journalist who writes about movies and cricket. He also tries his hand at fiction from time to time.

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