WE ARE FAHEEM & KARUN

Sensual and poignant drama, winner of the HIVOS Free To Be Me Award 2026

In a Hollywood film, it would be a charming encounter if Faheem flirtatiously handed Karun an apple as they met, because their attraction is undeniable. But Karun is an Indian border guard at a checkpoint that Kashmiri student Faheem passes through on his way home to nearby Gurez. Both are constrained by traditional culture and religion. Moreover, centuries-old enmity and current unrest argue against any form of sexual or romantic relationship. Yet desire, and perhaps something deeper, flares between them.

Inspired by the story of a real Indian soldier, the film almost wasn't made when the Indian army refused to cooperate, and the co-writer/director lost his funding, production studio, and cast due to censorship. Against all odds, he persevered, resulting in a (partly) secretly filmed, sensual, and poignant romantic drama.