The Indian freedom movement is the success story of nationalism in South Asia, and Partition and its memory are part of the unresolved narratives that the movement carried within itself. Partition is a subject that films and literature have wrestled with, and there are moments when memory becomes irrepressible, and attempts are made to move forward in a collective network.
A new series, ‘ Ms. Marvel’, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Canadian-Pakistani actress Iman Vellani attempts to introduce the collective tragedy of Partition from a point of triumph and inclusivity. In the series, Vellani plays Kamala Khan, who sets off on a self-discovery mission with mysterious friendly characters in present-day Karachi. Here she finds that in the dark days of the genocidal violence of Partition, Aisha, her great-grandmother, fought with her superpower skills and a magical bangle.
The story connects 21st century South Asians to a painful past without resorting to parochial or majoritarian interpretations. While being thoroughly engrossing, this part of the series deserves credit as it narrates the events without malice.
