Bollywood will see the release of a movie inspired from the 1996 Malta-boat tragedy which claimed the lives of 290 South Asian illegal immigrants, including 170 Indians, on Christmas Day 1996.
While the film does not make a direct reference to the Malta boat tragedy, “Kaafila” (Caravan) deals with illegal immigration and human trafficking and is said to be the first such movie of its kind in Bollywood. The film's director Aamtoje Mann told Adnkronos International "It's a real thing happening in India and the world. So many people are suffering from this. I believe in meaningful cinema and having real issues," he said.
The Malta boat tragedy occurred almost a decade ago, when hundreds of illegal immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh boarded the "Yiohan" in Malta to travel to Sicily in a bid to reach western Europe. However stormy weather sank their vessel killing 290 of the 450 people on board.
The director explained that the film isn't only based on the Malta boat tragedy “but all things related to this illegal activity.” The movie, described as a thriller, tells the tale of a group of people who make the journey to Europe illegally. The story focuses on how they fall prey to unscrupulous agents who force them to go into hiding in Eastern Europe for a period of time where they discover a new way of life. They continue to experience hardship along the way as they try to reach their final destination.
Similar to the real Malta-boat tragedy, the movie shows asegment shot on a boat carrying some 200 illegal immigrants which has a tragic end. The half-hour scene was shot with special effects in a British film studio.
See also:
Indian government not to be involved in Malta boat tragedy case
By MaltaMedia News
Dec 27, 2004, 15:51 CET
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