Hyderabad: Fugitive traces of memory from the horrors of the 1948 annexation lurk in parts of Hyderabad, obscured by time and history. When Pomegranate Turns Grey, produced by Maktoob Originals and directed by Thoufeeq K and Khurram Muraad, delves into the intergenerational transmission of memory and trauma, and brings forth the “absent presence” of violence, death, and suffering, making visible what has long been forgotten.
The Operation Polo documentary traces the harrowing recollections of Gulnar, the grandmother of Muraad, who survived the brutal Police Action that took place in September of 1948. This military campaign, undertaken by Indian forces after the country’s independence, resulted in the massacre of an estimated 27,000 to 40,000 Muslims, leading to widespread devastation, loss of life, and displacement.
The documentary serves as a vehicle for exploring how violence, especially state-sanctioned, permeates personal and collective memory. Gulnar’s recounting of the horrors—the bloodied river, the piles of bodies, and the chilling moments of deciding between life and death, to escape the unspeakable, transcends mere testimony.
It is a visceral reliving of trauma that highlights how historical atrocities are not confined to the
past but linger in the present through the memories of survivors and their descendants. Her
recollections of the well symbolize the agonizing choices imposed on those women, where
survival often meant confronting the inhuman.
It takes us through the psychological toll on living, particularly how certain memories remain indelible, recurring as haunting images. The narrative is as much about the silence surrounding these atrocities as it is about the violence itself. The survivor’s difficulties in speaking about these events without breaking
down highlights the overwhelming weight of memories that are too painful to articulate.
Perhaps the simplicity of it often masks the depth of their pain and the enormity of the violence they endured, like the narrator says “This is a strange tongue, hiding in the plain words”. Language struggles to fully capture the unspeakable horrors that have been witnessed and resurface only in intimate, familial spaces. But the unspoken reveals more than it conceals.
Yet, Faith, alongside other sources of strength, keeps them alive. Despite the hardships endured, they persist in shaping a meaningful existence. The plea, “May Allah protect my children and grandchildren from experiencing such horrors,” reflects their enduring hope and unyielding faith. Gratitude is expressed for the moments of joy experienced amidst the trials, and for the sense of peace that is felt with the loved ones.
The grapple with suffering by seeking to imbue it with meaning, invites reflection of the role of spiritual conviction in the recovery process, navigating and transcending the trauma associated with the massacre. By privileging remembrance, the documentary insists on answering the critical questions of
who remembers, when, why, and how.
This act of remembrance is not transient; it endures, asserting that grievability is a necessary condition for recognizing which lives are deemed to matter. It challenges the erasure of historical violence, ensuring that those who suffered are remembered, and their loss acknowledged as significant and worthy of grief.
When Pomegranate Turns Grey is an exceptionally valuable contribution that does more than document the narratives of the survivors of the Police Action of 1948, a moment that would otherwise be relegated to the pages of forgotten histories.
Zainab Shaikh and Sahla Rahmathulla are scholars from the University of Hyderabad who are pursuing their masters and PhD.
(Note: The military offensive against Hyderabad was led by India’s J N Chaudhuri. Called Operation Polo or Police Action in local parlance, it has left deep scars on the psyche of Muslims even decades later, as thousands lost their lives in the aftermath. Moreover, another major reason for sending in the army was the Communist Party of India (CPI)-led Telangana Armed Struggle (1946-51).
It was essentially a peasant uprising against feudal Jagdirdars (landlords) in the Hyderabad state. It had begun much earlier in 1946. Wary of a communist takeover, the Indian government also wanted to crush the communist movement, which continued till 1951. The CPI called it off on October 21, 1951, and joined the Indian democratic system.)
| 
