In the world’s only deaf-mute village where silence reigns, tension mounts as Misra Khatoon approaches childbirth. The villagers surround her home and beat drums seeking a response from the newborn.
In the world’s only deaf-mute village where silence reigns, tension mounts as Misra Khatoon approaches childbirth. The villagers surround her home and beat drums seeking a response from the newborn.
Shadab Farooq is an independent documentary filmmaker and journalist from Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir. With an unflinching eye and commitment to amplifying marginalized voices, his films provide intimate portraits of communities often overlooked.
Farooq’s breakout student film documenting migration issues was a finalist at the 2022 Kolkata International Film Festival. He followed this up with “Only if the Baby Cries…”, a short commissioned by India’s Public Service Broadcasting Trust. The film offered a rare window into the world’s only entirely deaf and mute village in the Kashmir hills.
In 2022, Farooq was recognized for his impactful photojournalism covering the Indian farmers’ protests, named a finalist for the Human Rights and Religious Freedom Awards.
