Silence Speaks Loudest In Onir's New Film, A Tender, Queer Love Story Set In Kashmir

Mir Tawseef and Akash Menon in Onir's new film 'We Are Faheem And Karun'.

We Are Faheem and Karun is a tender, quietly powerful tale of unexpected love that blooms in the most unlikely of places — the conflicted, mist-shrouded valleys of Kashmir. At its heart, this is not just a story of queer love, but of human connection in a space defined by suspicion, surveillance, and silence.

The film introduces us to Faheem, a young Kashmiri local whose life is shadowed by fear and constant scrutiny. Living under the invisible weight of being “the usual suspect” in his homeland, Faheem has learned to blend into the background. Karun, on the other hand, is part of the Border Security Force (BSF) — a cog in the very system that enforces the silence around Faheem.

Love In The Time Of Conflict

The two come from opposite worlds, yet fate brings them together each day, bound by a simple gesture: Faheem handing Karun an apple.

This seemingly mundane exchange becomes the heartbeat of their evolving relationship. Without grand declarations or dramatic turns, the film charts how love can take root in small, persistent acts of kindness.

Director Onir handles the narrative with remarkable restraint. There are no sweeping monologues or forced political statements. Instead, politics is etched into the quiet moments: a lingering glance, the hesitation before a touch, the unspoken dread of being discovered. The film resists sensationalising its themes — and in doing so, it humanises them. This is yet another milestone from the filmmaker who gave us My Brother… Nikhil and I AM.

Mir Tawseef as Faheem is all eyes and silence, portraying fear and longing with aching vulnerability. Akash Menon as Karun brings a quiet strength and inner conflict to a man torn between duty and desire. Sana Javied, as Faheem’s constantly fearful but understanding mother, and the rest of the supporting cast, lend charm and authenticity to the storytelling.

Faheem And Karun: Not Just A Love Story

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A significant plus is the casting of actors from the Valley, who speak in their beautiful native Kashmiri dialect, adding texture and rootedness to the film.

Cinematographer Ramanand Sarkar captures Kashmir not as a picture-perfect postcard, but as a breathing, haunted landscape — its beauty shadowed by checkpoints and restrictions on the locals. The sound design, minimal and evocative, further immerses us in the characters’ emotional terrain.

We Are Faheem and Karun is not just a love story — it’s a statement on freedom, identity, and how love dares to grow even where it’s forbidden. It leaves our hearts with a quiet ache and a painful reminder that queer people are still fighting for acceptance, dignity, and equal belonging. It reminds us that in a world full of lines and borders, some of the most powerful revolutions are whispered, not shouted.

'We Are Faheem And Karun' screens at the Indian Festival Of Melbourne on August 15 and August 22, 2025, at Hoyts Docklands. Tickets, here.

Vivek Anand is a film buff and the CEO of The Humsafar Trust, India's oldest LGBTQI organisation.