Honour Killing a humble request to our society to wake up and realize that we need to be involved rather then be safe on grounds of cultural sensitivities.

Film Honour Killing - Synopsis

There are three friends, a sardar, Pathan and English man (born and brought up in India). They are thick friends with staunch beliefs of their own, but being secular and living in the UK, they celebrate each others festivals. They are friends in need and friends indeed. However during minor altercations between the Pathan and the Sardar, it's the Englishman who soothes the ruffled feathers and mockingly chides them with a threat of deportation. They share a strong friendship with their families.

The englishman has a daughter. The Pathan has 2 daughters. The Sardar has a son.

Sunny who is the Sardar's son comes to the UK for further studies. the parents have little time for their children as they are busy with their own lives. However they do indulge their children and try to fulfill their demands. The Englishman's daughter is about to get married in a church. His asian friends get together to do the Asian functions of Gidha, Bidai (Indian Cultural Heritage). Sunny and Sameera, the Pathan's daughter, meet for the first time and cupid strikes. They meet in college and their attraction for each other increases. They are young, in love and enjoy living. They go to clubs, pubs and restaurants and go for picnics. The Pathan and the respective families are not happy about the growing friendship between Sunny and Sameera.

The friendship develops into a full blown love affair and both can't live without each other. The parents strongly oppose the relationship. Love has its own reasons and the couples believe and are confident that their parents will be liberal and will not object to their marriage but destiny has something else in store for them. The parents take a firm stand and their love is doomed. They can't marry, because they are from different communities.

The friendship between the parents of the couple turns into bitter enmity. they don't listen to their English friend's advice who ultimately advises the lovers to elope and get married...

What happens next is the crux of the stoy...

Will Honour Killings solve the problem and will the end justify the means or will better sense prevail?

This film tackles the burning problem of Honour Killings in the UK.

A multi-cultral International Film by Avtar Bhogal.

Directed by Avtar Bhogal

Director's Note

HONOUR KIILINGS....

"My daughter deserved to die for falling in love"

"Man stabbed his 16 year old daughter to death because he disapproved of her christian boyfriend.

"Sister is stabbed to death for loving the wrong man, children were made to watch an attack on a woman who was forbidden to marry outside her caste"

These are some of the horrific but true comments on the burning and topical issue of Honour Killings.

Majority of victims are woman Sisters and mothers also sometimes play a part in some of the crimes. It is impossible to know how widespread it is around the world because in many cases it involves the cover up by other family members or the wider community.

Research has shown that victims often feel government authorities have done little to help.

Through the film I would like to forward a humble request to our society to wake up and realize that we need to be involved rather then be safe on grounds of cultural sensitivities. No doubt the issue of Honour is important but does it justify the killing of Human Being solely for the purpose of Honour?

U.K being straddled with an increasing multi cultural population and a country of multi ethnicity it is my endeavour to take a tiny step to address a huge issue through the film hoping to make Honour Killing a thing of the past as it has been a silent and invisible practice for far too long.

I am asked why make a film in U.K? I will ask why not U.K? As I have studied & lived in U.K., This matter concerns all of us ....... Someone has to speak up, And Why not me?

Its a multi