The Protagonists
The Returner
Usmaan Raheem Ahmad. An American-Kashmiri with a distinguished education who left the US after graduating to personally contribute to shaping a brighter future for Kashmir. Now fully devoted to his ancestral land, Usmaan is not only promoting economic development, he also dedicates much of his energy to the youth culture of Kashmir, promoting visual artists, sports teams and theater.
The Revolutionary
Yasin Malik, Leader of Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Yasin was one of the first to take up guns against India and the first to put them down. His story is that of the metamorphosis –through tortures, near-death, and prisons - of a young Kashmiri rebel: from guerilla fighter to leader of the nonviolent resistance movement.Malik is referred to as the "Gandhi of Kashmir" by many people. Despite more than a decade of peaceful activities, Malik continues to enrage Indian authorities and has been arrested and tortured on a regular basis. Malik’s continued activities include a non-violent Intifada, hunger strikes, and demonstrations. We follow Malik as he travels from village to village on his “Journey to Freedom” caravan, speaking to fellow Kashmiris about their dreams of democracy and freedom.
The Lawyer
Fasiha Qadri. A human rights advocate and High Court lawyer in the Jammu & Kashmir Bar Association. She struggles for justice, freedom, and equal rights for women and men. The daughter of a high Muslim cleric, Fasiha’s is an eloquent voice merging deep Islamic notions with true human-rights values. She argues against the West’s misunderstanding of Islam, including the false antagonism between progressive democratic and Islamic societies.