“If the Indus River was divided between everyone living in Sindh, each person would get only a blanket’s worth.”
– Indus Echoes
This dialogue was what intrigued me most in the trailer and it’s what connects the entire film.
‘Indus Echoes’ tells four different stories exploring greed, love, hunger, and even climate change. Throughout ‘Indus Echoes’ certain motifs remain, tying each of its stories together. The tranquil waters of the river, empty fishing boats floating along the current, and dried up river beds. Each segment of the film is bookended by poet Salman Jakhro’s recitation of his own “Neem Ji Chaaon”; a lament about the cruelty suffered under the Neem tree.
While the cruelty is not laid at any specific person’s feet, Indus Echoes does show how that cruelty is translated and reverberates across generations. When there’s not enough to share, or to eat, each person just looks for their own piece of the Indus. But, of course, some cruelties are more pronounced than the others.
The Indus was the lifeline of the Indus Valley Civilization, just like the Nile for Egypt and the Tigris for Babylon. It provided sustenance, livelihoods, and access to cities and settlements. Today, the Indus is the victim of climate change and neglect as much as all other natural resources in the world.
Though the Indus is still the lifeline of Pakistan, it, and many other rivers like it, have been the victims of neglect and apathy. Today, many river beds, deltas, and lakes fed by these rivers are drying up. What remains is their echoes.
Director Rahul Aijaz’s deliberate choices come forth as symbols of the fading Indus. The muted colours, the leisurely pace and the same three actors portraying various characters in intertwined stories. All of us are the same, this is our life, and the river connects everyone.
However, Mr. Aijaz is sure to provide nuance. All the characters in Indus Echoes can make important choices. Though some are bound more strongly to the river and its woes, everyone can make decisions to change their lives for the better.
A fisherman follows a speeding train heading towards the city. A poet watches a field swaying in the wind. A woman recoils at what is floating downstream. They’re all looking at the same thing. And they’re all reacting in their own way. What would you do? We don’t control the massive forces that shape our world, but we can control our reactions.
The performances are all top notch. Ansaar Mahar, Samina Seher and Vajdaan Shah essay their roles to completion. It was only by the third segment of the film that I realized all three had been playing different characters throughout. Vajdaan Shah in particular embodied every character perfectly. He plays a greedy elder brother, a hungry fisherman, and a yearning poet. If any talent scouts are looking for solid character actors, Vajdaan Shah is the one to beat.
Indus Echoes is an ode to Sindh as well as an ode to classical no-nonsense filmmaking. Clocking in at just 72 minutes, it’s an easy watch, and is currently streaming on the streaming platform myco until October 31st 2025.
