Attitudes

An important aspect of the film that struck my mind was the sudden change in attitudes after the partition of 1947. This is particularly important in the context of the Sharif family which had to bear its consequences.  It is depicted in the start where Salim Mirza is asked by the tonga guy to pay more than the usual fare. Here we see him endorsing a nationalist perspective but the one that strictly excludes Muslims from its sphere. Salim Mirza is asked by him to go to Pakistan if he wants to pay less.  

On the other side, we have Ajmani Sahab, a person from a higher economic and social class, but displaying the same attitude as that of the tonga guy. The body language of Ajmani Sahab in the start, when he visits the shoe factory of Salim Mirza, is an expression of authoritative attitudes of non-Muslims towards Muslims in India. So now he gives a clear ultimatum to Mirza to deliver the order in a week, despite knowing that Salim Mirza can’t do that.

These shifts in attitudes seem to be the results of ideological wars that Muslim League and Congress were fighting with each other. So we see the overnight change, bring enmity between people who used to have harmony.