Half widowed ...

Haider is an adaptation of Shakespeare's classic Hamlet and is somewhat inspired by Basharat Peer's memoir 'Curfewed Night'. Directed by Vishal Bharadwaj , the movie was internationally critically acclaimed. When we talk about how great this movie did how can we not talk about Tabu's exemplary performance. She played the role of Ghazala, Haider's mother who teaches in a primary school in Kashmir. Brought up in Kashmir near the jhelum valley she is pro - Indian ideally in her approach. Honestly I don't think anyone else could have pulled it off as flawlessly as she did. Ghazala's character was so powerful and dominant yet compelling at the same time. Tabu's all over vibe suits character's requirement the most !!

Ghazala appears to be a bit controversial starting from when she gets her husband arrested when she learns about him secretly treating militants. To protect herself and her son who had already been influenced by the idea of going across the border at a very young age, Ghazala had to do this. After the mysterious disappearance of her husband the viewers got a sneak peak of the budding romance between Ghazala and Khuram (her brother in law played by Kay Kay Menon). Tabu has brought in a modern-day Mother India in Haider with mystery.

Despite the dark theme of this movie which is almost entirely about Haider's will to find his father and further avenge his death, Tabu's character added life to the dull and dark setting of the movie. Her beauty is beyond words. Even her son defines her beauty intoxicating, he calls her "Zeher Khoobsurat". However not to confuse the context as to he blamed it for everything that went down in his life.

She ruled the dynamics of the story, so even though the story was not about her, she controlled all the men her life with her charm and melancholic eyes. Even as her temper fluctuates from a warm sunny morning to that of a hailstorm, her unconditional love for her son was not compromised. When Haider confronts Ghazala about her intrigue with Khuram and almost disown, even though she tried to hide it by not accepting the allegations. She constantly gave up personal longings by compromising it all for him, from time to time.

The emphasize in the story is mostly laid on the mother-son duo, a relationship in which where Haider ruefully laughs at his mother's desire to move on in her life. She was not fragile and she did not rely on anyone to shape her life. The day she found a gun in Haider's bag; she made a choice and sent him away. She protected her son by distancing him from herself. I don't think that's easy for a mother. She was anxious that the army officers will take him away as well and that she would lose her son just like she lost her husband.

"Kuch bhi karlu villan toh mein he rehe wali hu ... Kher ab toh aadat pad gayi hain mujhe."

Ghazala sobs as she tries to reason out events of past and present with him before he went all bat shit crazy. Her determination to explain herself and her choices, trying to knock some sense in him were utterly realistic.

" Jaanti hu tu Abbu ji ko zyada pyaar karta hai"

Due to his oedipal complex, with Haider's unbounded affection for his lost dad followed by anger and disappointment towards his mom. He blamed Ghazala for what happened with his father. However she was not involved in it whatsoever. The final scene where she suicide bombed herself , she looks up in the sky before doing it. It was like she was finally free from this life of penetration. She looked so calm and relaxed.

Ghazala tries to explain her son that after he left for Aligarh, the silence and the lack of intimacy led to validating the attention she received from Khuram. After learning this, it's a shame to call her selfish or judge her relations with Khuram. More than often the world has label such affairs pathetic but what most of us never noticed is that not everyone wants to live a life in dejection. The only reason one would dare up to take such bold action would only be for love. Ghazala gave up her life trying to protect her son, that was the only form of warmth she deserved. All she wanted was a relationship in which she was desired and the kind of romance that was unknown to until she found solace in Khuram's arm.

Interpreting her as a dark and bleak character by the majority shows that the people would rather want to watch a sad-eyed widow than a strong headed resilient woman.