Father, Son and Holy War on AllMovie

This Indian documentary looks into the reason for secular violence within India and postulates that religious fervor is but one reason for its persistence. This violence is threatening to destroy India's unity. The film is divided into two parts. In the first, "Trial by Fire," the reasons for violent attacks of Muslim storekeepers in 1993 Bombay are explored. At that time, the police passively observed as the Muslims were killed. Hindu fanatics from the Sati cult, are compared to European fascists. In the practice of Sati, when a husband dies, the woman is burned alive upon his funeral pyre. Women oppose this practice. Also examined is the role of patriarchy in India. The filmmakers assert that the other reason for the violence is due to inherent machismo Indian men are expected to adhere to. They give many examples of it in the film.