Elham (film)

Elham
Film's poster
Directed byDhruva Harsh
Written byDhruva Harsh
Screenplay byDhruva Harsh
Story byDhruva Harsh
Produced byRaj Kishore Khaware
Utpaal Acharya
Vickey Prasad
Shivraj Khaware
Vikas Yadav
Rati Tandon
StarringTaiyo Chan
Tot Chan
Mahmood Hashmi
Gunnit Kaur
CinematographyAnkur Rai
Edited bySurya Kant Verma
Music byVickey Prasad
Production
companies
Content Engineers
Jungle Boy Entertainment
Release date
Running time
90 minutes[2]
CountryIndia
LanguagesHindi
Awadhi

Elham (transl. Revelation) is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language film written and directed by Dhruva Harsh.[3] The film explores the relationship between a young boy and a goat, set against the backdrop of Eid-al-Adha, a festival in India and South Asia.[4]

Elham has been selected for multiple international film festivals, including the 24th Rainbow International Film Festival in London[2] and the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival.[1] It had its Asian premiere at the Jagran Film Festival in New Delhi in December 2024.[5]

Plot

Elham follows Faizan, a 6 or 7-year-old boy from a modest Muslim family who performs well in school but struggles with mathematics. As Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) approaches, he, like other children, wishes for a sacrificial goat but is mindful of his family's financial situation. His father, a cotton carder, eventually brings home a goat for the ritual. However, Faizan forms a deep bond with the animal, seeing it as a companion rather than a sacrifice. A Sufi mystic, inspired by Ibn Arabi, helps him navigate his emotions and understand faith, love, and sacrifice.[6]

As the festival approaches, Faizan becomes determined to protect his beloved goat, Dodu, experiencing a quiet yet deeply moving journey of compassion and resilience.[6] The story is set in the village of Dariyabad in Barabanki district,[7] located in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh.[3][6]

Cast

  • Taiyo Chan as Fatima
  • Tot Chan as Faizan
  • Mahmood Hashmi as Rafique
  • Gunnit Kaur as Safina
  • Umesh Shukla as grandparent
  • Tarun Shukla as Hermit

Production

Elham is produced by Raj Kishore Khaware, Utpaal Acharya, Vickey Prasad, Shivraj Khaware, Vikas Yadav and Rati Tandon.[3] The cinematography is by Ankur Rai,[8] with editing by Surya Kant Verma. The film's music is composed by Vickey Prasad.[8][2] The film was produced under the banner of Content Engineers and Jungle Boy Entertainment.[2] It is a Hindi-language film but also incorporates dialogues in the Awadhi dialect.[8]

The film is inspired by the director's childhood experiences and his exposure to Korean cinema, particularly Kim Ki-duk's Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring.[4]

Release

Elham premiered at the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh in January 2023.[9][10] The film was screened on 28 May 2024, at the Rainbow International Film Festival.[2] In India, it was screened at the Kolkata International Children's Film Festival at Nandan-1 on 22 January 2024.[11]

The film was an official selection and was screened at the 10th International Film Festival of Shimla in August 2024 at Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex, Shimla.[12]

The film made its Asia premiere at the Jagran Film Festival at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi in December 2024.[5][13] It was screened at the Jagran Film Festival across multiple cities, including Delhi,[5] Prayagraj,[14] Raipur,[8] and Agra.[15]

The film Elham had a special screening at Aligarh Muslim University on 28 February 2025.[16]

Reception

The film received generally positive reception, with critics noting its depiction of childhood innocence and its exploration of faith and tradition.[6][4] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu noted that Elham carries an old-world innocence often missing in contemporary children's cinema.[4] Rama Shanker Singh, in a review published in The Wire, remarked on the film's artistic depth and visual composition, observing, "Elham stands out for its artistic subtleties and stunning visual appeal."[17]

Film critic Manish Jaisal, writing for Hindi daily newspaper, Subah Savere, described the film as a rare and noteworthy film centered on childhood, calling it a "milestone in Indian cinema".[6] While he felt Mehmood Hashmi's performance as Faizan's father could have been stronger, he praised Guneet Kaur's portrayal of Faizan’s mother.[6]

Hindustan Times noted that Toyo Chan and his real-life sister, Tot Chan, convincingly portrayed Faizan and Fatima despite their Buddhist background.[18] Avdhesh Mallick of The Free Press Journal described Elham as an attempt to "revive" the genre of children's cinema and praised the director's approach.[8]

In January 2023, Elham was selected for the Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh as India's official entry and was the only children's film among the three selected from the country.[1]

In May 2023, it was selected for screening at the Rainbow International Film Festival in London, where it was the only Indian children's film featured.[2][18] In December 2024, the film was chosen as the opening feature of the 11th Kolkata International Children's Film Festival.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Mani, Rajiv (25 January 2023). "AU alumni makes country proud, his film premieres at the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh". The Times of India.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ganguly, Achintya (22 May 2023). "Elham: Children's film featuring brother-sister duo selected for screening at London film festival". Telegraph India.
  3. ^ a b c Mani, Rajiv (16 May 2023). "Elham, a film made by AU alumnus to be screened at Rainbow Film Festival in UK". The Times of India.
  4. ^ a b c d Kumar, Anuj (4 December 2024). "Dhruva Harsh's 'Elham': Of faith and friendship". The Hindu.
  5. ^ a b c Pandey, Srishti (27 November 2024). "Jagran Film Festival 2024: Manoj Bajpayee's Despatch, Irani Chai And More Movies To Premiere This Year". Dainik Jagran.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "बालमन को खूबसूरती से टटोलती 'इलहाम'" (in Hindi). Subah Savere. 11 March 2025. p. 5.
  7. ^ Tomar, Ashok (31 January 2025). "Elham: A Tale of Hope". The Hitavada.
  8. ^ a b c d e Mallick, Avdhesh (20 January 2025). "Dhruva Harsh's Debut Film 'Elham' Shines At Jagran Film Festival In Raipur". The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 5 June 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  9. ^ "AU alumni's children movie premieres at Dhaka film fest". The Times of India. 26 January 2023.
  10. ^ Choudhary, Kundan Kumar (21 January 2023). "पशु हिंसा के खिलाफ है कहानी:झारखंड के दो बच्चों की मुख्य भूमिकाओं वाली फिल्म 'इलहाम' का प्रीमियर 21वें ढाका इंटरनेशनल फिल्म फेस्टिवल में हुआ" (in Hindi). Dainik Bhaskar. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023.
  11. ^ a b Mani, Rajiv (19 November 2024). "Elham by Dhruva Harsh opens the 11th Kolkata International Children's Film Festival 2025". The Times of India.
  12. ^ "10th International Film Festival of Shimla 2024". wsimg.com. August 2024.
  13. ^ "Asia Premiere Alert". Jagran Film Festival. 29 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Jagran Film Festival : प्रयागराज में तीन दिन दिखाई जाएगी फिल्में, ये एक्टर्स लोगों से करेंगे बात" (in Hindi). Inext. 13 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Jagran Film Festival 2024-25". Jagran Film Festival. 11 February 2025.
  16. ^ "AMU में प्रदर्शित हुई बहुचर्चित फिल्म इलहाम ', निर्देशक ध्रुव हर्ष ने फिल्ममेकिंग पर दी खास वर्कशॉप" (in Hindi). Dainik Bhaskar. 4 March 2025.
  17. ^ Singh, Rama Shanker (1 May 2024). "'Elham' Is a Gently Stirring Film About a Rural Muslim Family". The Wire.
  18. ^ a b "Allahabad University alumnus's children's film to be screened at London film festival". Prayagraj: Hindustan Times. 16 May 2023.
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