Only if the Baby Cries...

Only if the Baby Cries... is a 2024 Indian documentary short film directed by Shadab Farooq, which won the Best Short Film award at the 28th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. The documentary, produced by Rajiv Mehrotra under the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) with Aparna Sanyal as executive producer, explores the lives of residents in Dhadkai, a remote village in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The village is known as "silent village of India". In Dhadkai, a significant portion of the population is affected by congenital hearing and speech disabilities.

Only if the Baby Cries...
Directed by	Shadab Farooq
Produced by	Rajiv Mehrotra
Cinematography	Sahib Syed Goni
Edited by	Sahib Syed Goni, Shadab Farooq
Music by	Dilbar Yousuf, Fareed Pahalgami
Production company	Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT India)
Release date	25 October 2024 (2024-10-25)
Running time	15 minutes
Country	India

Synopsis

""Only if the Baby Cries..." tells the poignant story of Misra Khatoon and Mohammad Iqbal as they prepare for the arrival of their child. In the village of Dhadkai, a traditional method is employed to assess a newborn's hearing abilities. Villagers create loud sounds around the infant, believing that a baby who cries with closed eyes may be at risk of deafness. The documentary beautifully captures this ritual while delving into the everyday lives of the community and the unique challenges they face.

Production

The documentary was produced by Rajiv Mehrotra under the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) and received support as part of the Doc_Commune 2023–24 initiative. Shadab Farooq directed the film, with cinematography by Sahib Syed Goni and sound design by Caster Rinoy Gomez. Anzer Ayoob, who served as the location manager and researcher, was instrumental in bringing authentic insights into the village and its people.

Release and Reception

"Only if the Baby Cries..." premiered at the 28th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where it won the Best Short Film Award in the festival’s Short Joy section. The film received positive recognition for its intimate portrayal of Dhadkai village and its unique tradition associated with testing newborns for hearing and speech abilities.

The film has been highlighted as a significant accomplishment for filmmakers from the Chenab Valley region, with particular praise for the director Shadab Farooq, cinematographer Sahib Syed Goni, and location manager Anzer Ayoob, all of whom are from Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. The film’s recognition has been seen as a landmark achievement, bringing international attention to a lesser-known community in the Himalayan region.

Only if the Baby Cries... has received positive reviews for its sensitive portrayal of the lives of residents in Dhadkai, a village grappling with high rates of congenital hearing and speech disabilities. The Bold Voice praised the film for its immersive cinematography and evocative sound design, noting that it captures the unique customs surrounding childbirth in the village while providing a window into the community's resilience. However, the review also highlighted that the film's focus on atmosphere and tradition may leave some viewers wanting more context regarding the underlying causes of the disabilities and the potential for outside intervention.

Crew

• Producer: Rajiv Mehrotra
• Executive producer: Aparna Sanyal
• Assistant producer: Harjas Singh
• Cinematographer: Sahib Syed Goni
• Sound designer and mixer: Caster Rinoy Gomez
• Location manager and researcher: Anzer Ayoob
• Editors: Sahib Syed Goni, Shadab Farooq
• Musicians and singers: Dilbar Yousuf, Fareed Pahalgami

See also

• Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival
• Public Service Broadcasting Trust