One of the most horrific terror strikes in history took place on July 1, 2016, in a diplomatic area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Five extremists attacked the Holey Artisan Bakery and took hostages inside. The horrifying incident rattled the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and even the Prime Minister. Many foreigners and non-Islamic people were murdered and injured, while only Bangladeshi Muslims were spared, yet they lived a nightmare that we would all like to forget. Hansal Mehta’s “Faraaz” describes that harrowing night, based on the actual occurrence that transpired at the Dhaka café Holey Artisan.
In addition to depicting the true incident, “Faraaz” also emphasizes that terrorism cannot be attributed to a particular religion but rather to the philosophy that supports it. Islam is seen as a violent religion in the wider world, but the Quran, like other holy books, preached peace. But, there are those extremist Islamists out there who only comprehend violence without identifying what’s the point of it. In “Faraaz,” a young guy named Faraaz makes a distinction between these fanatics and the real face of mankind. When violence erupted inside the cafe, and everyone was aware that their lives were going to end, only Faraaz stepped up to denounce the atrocity.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Faraaz’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
The opening scene of the movie shows a group of militants getting ready for their operation under the direction of Rajiv, their leader. Rajiv was also observed making contact with terrorist organizations, probably ISIS or the JMB. Rajiv seemed very likely to be the one who’d brainwashed the attackers to carry out the mission. Yet their journey showed how ordinary they really are. Fundamentally, all five of these individuals were from middle-class backgrounds; they were educated young men, some of whom had secular backgrounds. But they had all been persuaded by violent strategists to believe a false version of their faith. They were instructed that they must kill every non-Muslim in order to defend their Islam and combat injustice toward it. They believed if they were successful, they would put Islam back on the proper track, earning a seat in paradise. These people were warped by their brainless beliefs, which drove them to terrorism. At the same time, we met Faraaz (Zahan Kapoor) and his family, who were unable to travel to Malaysia as planned. Faraaz’s mother ( Juhi Babbar) wanted him to go to Stanford for his studies, but he flatly refused to leave his homeland or his family. Yet even though his mother always wanted the best for him, she didn’t want to put any pressure on him, so she left him alone. Faraaz went out with his friends, Tarika from India and a Muslim girl from his neighborhood, and they met at the Holey Artisan Bakery, which just so happened to be the spot that these terrorists had set out to attack.
These five militants arrived at the café with guns at night, when it was often crowded with patrons of many nationalities and linguistic backgrounds. As soon as they arrived, they started shooting everybody they identified as foreigners or non-Muslims. Just one or two of the cooks among them managed to avoid death and make it outside the café so they could call the police. Some, nonetheless, managed to hide after being trapped within. The five men, commanded by Nibras (Aditya Rawal), kept everyone inside prisoner while they started to verify their IDs to determine whether or not they were Muslims. They forced everyone to recite verses from the Quran. Nibras knew Faraaz’s face from a previous football club they had both played for, so he didn’t force Faraaz to prove his faith. Faraaz was also astounded to see such an educated man, like Nibras, pointing a pistol at innocent bystanders.
What Was The Motive Behind The Terrorist Attack?
In actuality, three of the five assailants came from prestigious Bangladeshi schools, while the other two were Madrasa students. Although educated, these students were delusional enough to fall for tricks and manipulation. Instead of the religious students, these Jihadi organizations targeted these students, who were frequent smokers. These Jihadi groups put the ideas of martyrdom and the aim of establishing an Islamic state in these students’ minds. They used the scenario of western nations opposing Islam to stoke their anger, and they propagated the notion that the only way to halt violence against Islam is to sow fear in the hearts and minds of non-Muslims. We also got a glimpse of Nibras in “Faraaz,” justifying his violent ideology by claiming that non-Muslims are infidels who ought to perish. Faraaz, though, defended his reasonable religious convictions. He quoted the Arabic word for reasoning, ‘Ijtihad,’ from the Quran and claimed that Allah had wished for them to doubt, challenge, and question, something that Nibras had not done before taking up arms. He had been following orders without considering why. He was preaching violence to protect his faith, despite the fact that the Quran contains passages advocating peace and concord.
‘Faraaz’ Ending Explained: Why Was Faraaz Killed?
The authorities weren’t sitting still at the time; they first surrounded the café without any protection and were quickly shot dead since they lacked helmets or bulletproof jackets. The last surviving DMP sub-inspector contacted the commissioner, who once again committed the error of storming the café without using properly equipped troops. The actions were performed right away after 12 police officers were killed or seriously injured. DMP contacted SWAT and RAB to move forward, but the Prime Minister advised them to first negotiate with the assailants. But their efforts were in vain since the assailants didn’t want to talk to them because they had already instilled widespread fear in people’s minds. They felt they should be proud of what they had created—a scary spectacle.
As the morning light dawned, the assailants prepared to set those hostages free. The attackers decided to die in the combat for their illusory paradise to greet them. One of the assailants backed off and made an attempt to flee, but Nibras killed him. Except for Faraaz and his friends, we see that everyone has left the cafe. The RAB and SWAT encircled the café and started firing shots. But what happened to Faraaz after that?
Faraaz was the lone person who stood for harmony and peace. He was a Muslim who served as an example of how the conflicting ideologies around terrorism, not the religion itself, were to blame. Upon leaving the cafe, Nibras noticed Tarika’s Hindu wristband and realized she wasn’t a Muslim. Nibras murdered the two women but allowed Faraaz to escape. Faraaz refused to go since he had made the decision not to abandon his companions in this battle. No matter what religion he practiced, if his companions fell prey to the hate, Faraaz would too. It was the harmony he had earlier mentioned, and he had demonstrated his belief in it. Out of wrath, Nibras murdered him as well. Yet, no one recalled Nibras, who assaulted the café and killed innocent people; instead, Faraaz became the one who, despite his death, was recognized for his valor. In the end, Faraaz Ayaz Hussain, the grandson of Latifur Rahman, and chairman of Transcom Group, received the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award after his tragic passing. As his mother collected the award, she didn’t mourn the loss of her son; instead, she expressed how proud she was of him.
Was Tahmid Khan A Victim Or An Attacker?
One of the Dhaka Café terror attack survivors whose life was ruined by the assailants was Tahmid Hasib Khan. These five assailants took a number of pictures to mark the completion of their mission, and they included Tahmid, one of the survivors, in a particularly wicked fashion. As a result of those photos being released, Tahmid was detained by the police, who mistook him for an attacker. Tahmid had a tough time persuading the police that he was one of the victims that night, not an attacker.
Final Words
The hostage thriller “Faraaz” did a great job of depicting the tragedy of a terrorist assault and bringing up the discussion about the extremism in religious ideas that is frequently necessary. Yet, “Faraaz” doesn’t quite achieve the same level of visceral horror in the viewer’s psyche as “Hotel Mumbai” does. Some of the performances even lacked intensity, and the thrill faded out because of their limited portrayal of events. The audience wouldn’t have much time to interact with the characters, especially Faraaz, so this movie doesn’t really provide us with an emotional lift. Overall, though, there aren’t many hostage thrillers in India that we can discuss, so we’re happy to see one that depicts a significant event in our history and serves as a warning to our government and other authorities to be more watchful of national security.
“Faraaz” is a 2023 thriller drama film directed by Hansal Mehta.
