Nandita Das, one of the most luminous of Indian actresses, recently directed her first feature film, Firaaq. The film has a whole range of accomplished actors, like Nasseruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Dipti Naval, Raghubir Yadav, Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra and some new talents like Shahana Goswami and Nowaz. ‘Firaaq’ is an Urdu word that means both separation and quest. This is an ensemble film that takes place over a 24-hour period, a month after a horrific communal carnage. The film deals with the impact of violence on human psyche and relationships.