User reviews

"Jang Aur Aman" is a documentary film tracing the development of nuclear weapons in both India and Pakistan. Patwardhan, the director, addresses issues of nationalism and religion in order to explain the basis of this rivalry. He takes the audience into the realm of each country, interviewing common citizens and politicians alike. Patwardhan succeeds in portraying both perspectives of the situation objectively. Even the most oblivious viewer is able to follow the gradual progression of events with the sufficient amount of historical information given. In light of the events that have taken place since 9/11, the backdrop of political unrest and terrorism, in third world countries, is, now more than ever, of global concern. This film is only a glimpse of the harsh realities that are commonplace in many struggling countries. After having seen this film, the viewer is left dumbfound; yet well informed. Patwardhan truly does an excellent job in portraying the atrocities committed by these two warring countries and the horrors of what may come, if the issue is left unresolved.

A previous comment stated "It is a whole different world over there, a distinctly un-American world." In fact in this film, Pathardwan is trying to show how India and Pakistan are becoming more like America. More American with pressures to build their military capability so they can be proud of their country. More American with leaders who pervert their religious heritage to justify national aggression. In addition to his Indian and Pakistan interviews the masses and lawmakers, he shows the efforts of the joint peace movements in those countries and how they are shouted down by the militarists and young men supporting the ruling party.

For perspective, the film shows the effects of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan and the American efforts to minimize these in the 1995 Enola Gay exhibit at the Smithsonian. "Not one congressman, Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal was brave enough to stand up to the McCarthy like tactics of the US militarists who did not want the American people to know the history that has been declassified in the last 50 years." Also, Pathardwan has added a coda after the credits, which shows the September 11th attacks and the military, political and religious response of the US. His final statement reiterates: the real solution is the Non Violence of Gandhi.

This film is useful in helping to understand what is happening in India and Pakistan. But it is even more useful as a mirror to what is happening in the United States, as we accede to the militarists' latest efforts to get this country into war.

I was fortunate enough to attend the American debut of Jang Aur Aman with director Anand Pathardwan in attendance. Being fairly ignorant of the India-Pakistan conflict, this was a harrowing perspective of the magnitude of this escalating situation.

Beyond seeing Gandhi in 9th grade social studies class, I was not aware of how serious and passionate the dispute in the Indian subcontinent is. It is a whole different world over there, a distinctly un-American world. Pathardwan interviews the masses and lawmakers alike, and a story of corruption, deception, and inhumanity regarding potential nuclear war and the arms race unfolds.

Pathwardan takes the cameras to the streets to interview the Indians and Pakistanis to get their views. We learn of disease and death at test sites, see the starvation and poverty first-hand, and hear the propaganda instilled into the public by the government. To hear impoverished Indians say that they are a world super-power because of their nuclear technology and at the same time see them living in squalor is quite startling. Also, across the border, seeing Pakistani schoolgirls defame the Indian cause and motive for a public speaking class and then turn around after the speech and admit they just say what they say not as an assult on Indians but rather because that's what they hear day in and day out.

Jang Aur Aman shows the audience the potential disasters of a nuclear arms race, and particularly in third world nations full of deceit and corruption, particularly in the post-September 11th world. Anand Pathwardhan should be commended for showing Americans this different, harrowing perspective of conflicts on the other side of the world.

There is no such thing as peaceful bombs. In name of national security, citizen's are suffering, poor are suffering. Defense budget is increasing every year and they cut on education budget. In which direction we are moving towards? THE NATIONALISM IS A GREAT MENACE. It is the particular thing which for years has been at the bottom of India's troubles. Looks like Godse's idea of undemocratic violent India is winning upon Gandhiji's idea of non-violent India. IT SHOULDN'T.

We are deeply disappointed by this late 90's documentary , In the current Era of Youtube and big bang of news and information , each and every conspiracy , lobbying is clearly visible to every normal common individual and it become a part of life , fortunately for Anand Patwardhan able to gain popularity with his so called truth were part of non- internet era . So most of people not able to get , which lobby this guy patwardhan is representing , from where he been funded for this documentary , shamefully ignoring all global geopolitics factors , he have seen the these nuclear issue through narrow petty issue windows. , yes , if you would have seen this documentary in 2002 ...you would have felt that you have understood the real truth . fact of the matter is that if you this documentary in 2012 ,you feel disgusted and get annoyed with patwardhan's open lobbying for certain vested interest , we request patwardhan to go to china and do the documentary on village surrounding Lop-nur test base in china , lets see what he finds out ...this guy belongs to those fake lobby of fake Global warming agenda , who claims and that only developing nation creating pollution and responsible for global weather cycle

Anand Patwardhan is the most iconoclastic documentary film maker I have ever seen. Till now I have seen his 2 films & I should say that in his films he religiously make honest attempts to break all the establish norms in the society. War and Peace is no different. This is a film about the irony of war which exist in the shadow of peace.

There was nuclear attack on Hiroshima & Nagasaki, which USA reasoned as an attempt to end the war and establish peace but does war really ended ? I don't think so... Many years later two developing nation India & Pakistan conducted nuclear test and became nuclear power; again in the name of peace. (It was mainly to satisfy each-others false ego) Twin tower attack motivated America to bombard Afghanistan, further they destroyed Iraq again in the name of unattainable peace. Power fanatics all around the world are playing this ironical game of War and Peace.

This is a film about destruction or destructive nature which exist within the society. I am really amazed by the courage and passion of director to make films on issues which are important but generally ignored.

I will seriously recommended this film to all movie buffs however also note that there are couple of heart-trenching shots and images which may disturb you, however this should not be a reason to ignore this film.

Recommended.