Two men from the Partition generation — Ishar Das Arora, an Indian Hindu who migrated from Pakistan to India, and Iqbal-ud-din Ahmed, a Pakistani Muslim who made the opposite journey — share childhood memories of their experiences while playing a board game. As the two men unpack their memories, audiences embody the experience of a 7-year-old child at key points in the migration. Child of Empire offers a powerful counter-narrative that lends a fresh perspective on the effects of forced migration on everyday individuals.

Child of Empire poster

Child of Empire (2022)

Embody the childhood memories of two survivors, as they reflect on their journeys across a divided homeland.

June 15, 2022 17 min

AnimationDocumentary

Director: Sparsh Ahuja, Stephen Stephenson, Erfan Saadati  ·  Writer: Omi Zola Gupta

Two men from the Partition generation — Ishar Das Arora, an Indian Hindu who migrated from Pakistan to India, and Iqbal-ud-din Ahmed, a Pakistani Muslim who made the opposite journey — share childhood memories of their experiences while playing a board game. As the two men unpack their memories, audiences embody the experience of a 7-year-old child at key points in the migration. Child of Empire offers a powerful counter-narrative that lends a fresh perspective on the effects of forced migration on everyday individuals.

Director

Sparsh Ahuja Sparsh Ahuja Stephen Stephenson Stephen Stephenson Erfan Saadati Erfan Saadati

Cast

Adil Hussain Adil Hussain Ishar Das Arora Salman Shahid Salman Shahid Iqbal-ud-din Ahmed