Child of Empire

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

2022 · 17 min · Animation, Documentary

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.

Directed by Sparsh Ahuja · Written by Omi Zola Gupta