Calling Sehmat: A patriotic tryst by India's Daughter de

Meself

So after a lot of dilly-dallying, here I am with my take on Lieutenant Colonel Sikka's (Rtd.) encounter with a braveheart. The book traces the tense atmosphere of 1971 which ended with liberation of Bangladesh and India's resounding victory. While the Vijay Divas is remembered in its glorious technicolor, the behind the scene workings of achieving the same is often overlooked. The book makes a humble attempt at pulling the curtains from the same.



A chance in encounter in 1999, brought Lt. Colonel Sikka at the door of Sehmat Khan whose real identity is yet to be revealed. A beautiful, delicate looking Kashmiri woman who was single handedly responsible for destroying the Pakistani espionage and providing India with critical war information.




Set in 1969, just at the onset of the war; we see a 19 year old Sehmat getting married to Captain Iqbal Syed. Unknown to this young man is the fact the woman he is marrying and is all set to fall in love with is a spy, with a past and loves her nation more than anyone else. The book thereafter recreates Sehmat's cunning deployment and achievements into providing India with an edge over its Pakistani counterparts during the war.




What I loved about the book is that it stayed clear of the impassioned speeches and chest thumping that has become synonymous with this genre .It only talks about the grit and determination of a young girl who wants to be able to provide her country with valuable information. There is no mud slinging of "my-country-is-better-than-yours". Just underlying respect for the emotion of patriotism that was shared by every character in their own right. We see Sehmat as a happy wife, a doted upon daughter-in-law and a strong woman. But we also see a human who has to constantly supress her guilt by putting duty over everything else. Her simplicity, her devotion, her love and her longing are all crushed aside to fulfill one role that she had to fill in the enemy state.




The book also recounts, subtlely, the prejudices and hate mongering that somehow lingers as an aftermath of the partition of Indian subcontinent into two dominions. It reflects upon the instinctive human cravings of love, loyalty and guilt. She may had loved Aby and somewhere loved Iqbal too but her love for her country was greater. She had been loyal to Iqbal but her loyalty to her nation was far greater. These subtle nuances make the protagonist human instead of the war-hardened superhero. Her guilt of having killed a human is ignored until her duty is performed. After which she suffers from depression, it shows how despite being the militant how she remained human.




The book has it many glorious moment by treating the subject maturely. But at the same time it falls prey to heavily glamorized stereotypes too. Certain situations feel forced and unnecessary. And agreed that it is a fictionalized take on the life of Sehmat, it still leaves a little sour taste in the mouth. All in all it was a beautiful read. A tribute to the memory of a braveheart.

Meself

cynic 22-5-2018 03:06 PM
Thanks for sharing this.

I get what the author is saying about people need to know more about her  ...

The book was originally published in 2008 after getting due permission from Sehmat and her son. But it wasn't made public as Sehmat had requested Lt. Col. Sikka to keep her story under wraps until she is alive. It was only with the permission of her son and her mother that the movie and the book were made possible. Sehmat's longing of free soul actually shows that how we are all human at the end of the day. She was obsessively in love with her country, so much that she didn't think twice before shunning Any whom she loved and killing those whom she had begun calling as family. She didn't allow that guilt to press her as long as she was in action. It was only after the static that she succumbed to her pain. Her guilt over having killed her husband for whatever reason, her not being able to have a typical mother-son relation with her son is all indicative of the fact that how at the end of the day we are all human and how our actions do cathc up on us. Emotionally or physically. I just hope that Sehmat is now free the way she had wanted to be.

cynic

jhsurti 21-5-2018 01:22 PM
I finished reading the book in the weekend. I'll hold my review till others are done. Yet to see Raa ...

I read she passed away in April. Is it ethical for the author to share her identity? From what I have read, she prefered to remain unknown.

andy161161

I feel the book was better than the move like most cases

Indured

The movie"Raazi" starring Alia Bhatt is based on this book. A true story of a Indian female spy marrying a Pakistani. There are good reviews about the movie. So definitely would like to read the book

jhsurti

I finished reading the book in the weekend. I'll hold my review till others are done. Yet to see Raazi though. Am looking forward to June when the author has promised to reveal the true identity of Sehmat.

cynic

Finished the book and caught the movie too. Will wait for others before sharing my two cents.

booklover1980

I saw the movie today andf loved it. I have started the book. will give a detailed review once I finish it.

jhsurti

cynic 21-5-2018 11:18 PM
I read she passed away in April. Is it ethical for the author to share her identity? From what I h ...

Yes she wished to remain unknown. But the video by the author states what he is going to do!

https://www.thequint.com/videos/raazi-alia-bhatt-calling-sehmat-pakistan-spy-1971-war

cynic

jhsurti 22-5-2018 11:06 AM
Yes she wished to remain unknown. But the video by the author states what he is going to do!

htt ...

Thanks for sharing this.

I get what the author is saying about people need to know more about her (and unsung heroes). It is more of a soldier speak than an author speak. It seems she did not want her identity revealed since she was not really proud of what she did, patriotic or not.

I am captured by the whims and fancies of others/And my soul wishes to fly free! are really strong words.