Why Main Vaapas Aaunga is more than a partition film
‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ (I Will Be Back), hereafter referred to as MVA, is a 2026 film directed by Imtiaz Ali and written by Imtiaz Ali and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) alumna Nayanika Mahtani. Through a deeply human story of displacement, identity, belonging, and hope, the film explores the enduring legacy of the Partition of 1947.
Last month, I watched MVA with a group of college friends. Long after the credits rolled, the conversations it sparked stayed with us.
As the Batch Ambassador for the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) Class of 1992, I had originally chosen the film to celebrate the work of fellow alumna Nayanika Mahtani. Little did I know that what began as a gesture of appreciation would evolve into a profound reflection on the life of a refugee, human suffering, and our shared humanity.
What makes a film linger in your mind long after you leave the theater? For me, it was not only the muffled sobs, tear-filled eyes, and stunned silence as the lights came on. It was the way MVA transformed one of history’s defining tragedies into an intensely personal story, leaving me with enduring questions about the human cost of political decisions, man-made borders, and forced displacements. Some of my batchmates who joined us shared stories of what their grandparents had lived through during the Partition of 1947. Listening to those personal accounts gave us goosebumps. Suddenly, the film no longer felt like a story from the past; it felt immediate, personal, and profoundly relevant.
The film is a heart-wrenching account of the Partition of 1947, reminding us that even today, the world continues to awaken to new conflicts while carrying the unresolved consequences of old ones.
In a matter of hours, the lives of a happy, carefree family come to a standstill. What follows is a painful journey in search of legitimacy, belonging, and closure – the journey of a refugee. For many, perhaps, that closure never truly arrives. It is easy to dismiss such stories as history or as someone else’s problem. Yet the reality is that the world is already home to millions of refugees. You may never personally experience forced displacement, but there is every possibility that your children may study alongside a refugee, work with one, or have one as a neighbour. Teaching children and young people empathy for those whose lives have been shaped by loss, forced displacement, and uncertainty is as important as equipping them with the knowledge and skills to succeed.
Having spent years conducting investigations in conflict-affected communities, I could not help but see beyond the money trails of financial misappropriation and the diversion of funds into drugs or arms. Political decisions leave lasting scars on ordinary lives. Whether in Sri Lanka in South Asia or Colombia in South America, the faces and stories may differ across countries and generations, but the themes remain strikingly similar, i.e., forced displacement, uncertainty, suffering, and the enduring search for dignity, belonging, and closure. Perhaps that is why this film felt so personal. It was not merely recounting history; it was reflecting a human reality that continues to unfold around us today.
I would strongly encourage the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to consider screening this film in multiple languages. Its story may begin with the Partition of 1947, but its themes of displacement, belonging, resilience, and hope resonate with refugee experiences across the world even today.
History will continue to ride the bus with us, stand behind the cashier’s counter, sit beside our children in classrooms, and share our meals. The refugee is never just a figure from a distant conflict; they are living history, carrying memories and experiences that continue to shape our collective future. Whether in the world’s wealthiest economies or its poorest nations, ordinary people continue to bear the heaviest burden of conflict.
The challenge before us, therefore, is not merely to remember history but to learn from it. Wars are not sustained by weapons alone. They endure through indifference, inaction, and the silence of those who know better but choose not to speak. In that silence, suffering finds its longest life.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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