Kaya Taran
Kaya Taran (English title: Chrysalis) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language directed by Sashi Kumar with Angad Bedi, Seema Biswas, Neelambari Bhattacharya and Neeta Mohindra in the lead roles. The film, based on the Malayalam short story When Big Tree Falls by N. S. Madhavan, is set against the backdrop of 2002 Gujarat riots against Muslims and 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The film won the Aravindan Puraskaram, given to the best debut film-maker, for 2004, for its "deft handling of a theme of contemporary relevance through sensitive imageries, carefully orchestrated sound design and finely etched characters." Two prominent journalists who covered the '84 riots, Rahul Bedi and Joseph Maliakan, played themselves in the film. Well-known dancer and choreographer Chandralekha choreographed a dance-sequence in the film performed among others by the noted Bharatanatyam dancer Navtej Johar. Plot
Preet is a shy young journalist visiting a convent for aged nuns in Meerut to do a story on conversions. His meeting with Sister Agatha, a Malayalee nun who manages the convent, rekindles the memories of an incident that took place in the convent way back in 1984, taking the narrative in the flashback. A young Sikh woman, Amarjeet Kaur, along with her 8-year-old son Jaggi, escaping from marauding rioters seeks refuge in the convent. The nuns give them a place to hide making the mother wear nun's robes and cutting the boy's long hair to conceal their identities. The young boy gradually settles in and becomes part of the convent life giving the nuns something to look forward to in their staid daily routine. The nuns refuse to give in to constant threats from the pursuers plotting Amarjeet's and Jaggi's escape. The plot moves to and for in time to reveal how Preet makes peace with his troubled past while re-claiming the outward symbol of his identity. The film concludes showing Preet wearing a turban. 