Documentary Review

War and Peace

Directed by Anand Patwardhan

First Run/Icarus Films, 2002

Anand Patwardhan’s excellent documentary

War and Peace on the nuclear

arms race between India and Pakistan is the sort of film that is often

ignored in the U. S. because it deals with issues that most Americans

feel are not of immediate interest to them. This is unfortunate for two

reasons: first it means that people are missing a moving and informative

documentary and secondly it is an indication of the complete lack of

interest that many Americans have about events occurring beyond the

U.S., Western Europe or the Middle East. This is an epic documentary

that was filmed in India, Pakistan, Japan and the United States to allow

Patwardhan to explore the complexity of this issue over the course of its

170 minutes. The film shows how a combination of religious fundamentalism,

nationalism and political corruption in both India and Pakistan

has lead to a Cold War style stand off that has come close to developing

into a nuclear war several times in the past few years. In addition,

it shows how the nuclear industry has affected the lives of ordinary Indian

citizens who live near nuclear test sites, and uranium processing

facilities.

The film begins with the assassination of Gandhi which for

Patwardhan symbolized the death of the potential for a tolerant, multiethnic

and multi-religious society on the Indian subcontinent. What

has occurred since Gandhi’s death, Patwardhan argues, is a gradual splintering

of India society and a corresponding rift between India and Pakistan

as religious fundamentalism became stronger in both countries.

This division has been exploited by political and religious leaders on

both sides who try to win support by demonizing their opponents.

Indeed throughout the film, we see religious and political leaders trying

to show some sort of a tie between religion, nuclear weapons and the

prestige of India. Ganesh is often shown blessing nuclear weapons and a

1998 underground nuclear test at Pokhran was actually held on the

Buddha’s birthday. We also see the scientists who created the Indian

nuclear program being praised by Hindu leaders at a special ceremony

celebrating India’s nuclear program.

However, Patwardhan also shows people who are trying to heal the

splits between the various communities in India and Pakistan. We see a

group of Indians, many of whom were officers in the wars between Pakistan

and India meeting with government officials, military officers and

ordinary citizens in Pakistan. We see a group of doctors who are traveling

to various nuclear sites in India to test people for radiation related

diseases and educate people about the dangers of radiation exposure.

We also see peace activists and artists who are trying to counter the

divisive rhetoric of nationalist politicians and religious leaders.

Probably the most moving section of the film is a series of interviews

with a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima who visits India to

talk about his experience of the nuclear blast that destroyed his home

and killed his sister. He later invites Patwardhan and a delegation of

Pakistan and Indian peace activists to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki and

attend special ceremonies at the Hiroshima Peace Museum on Hiroshima

Day. Patwardhan includes footage from the nuclear blast at Hiroshima

to show the dangers of India and Pakistan’s current path.

The main issue in this nuclear race seems to be respect. The film

contains innumerable references by India scientists and politicians to

how the tests at Pokhran have put India “on the map” and how Indians

no longer need to feel inferior to other more powerful nations like the

United States. Even some of the leaders in the villages surrounding the

test site argue that despite the dangers of underground nuclear testing,

the prestige the test have lent their village are worth the risk. Patwardhan’s

goal is to show the real risk that these people are running and he succeeds

admirably.

Reviewed by Jonathan Derr