Highlighting Sikh soldiers’ contributions to the Canadian military during the First World War is what’s driving a new short film, co-directed by a pair of Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) graduates. Cultural identity and beliefs are put to the test on the front lines when a rebellious young Sikh man, who is at odds with his father, enlists in the military in "The Unknown Soldier." “It’s been 100 years now. And as a result of that, the participation of South Asian men in World War One is often not portrayed on screen,” said Aviel Kurulkar, the film’s co-director and cinematographer. Kurulkar, who is a WLU grad, wants to change that by showcasing the contributions of Indian men who fought for Canada, while dealing with challenges that their counterparts didn’t face. “How do you manage your faith, and at the same time, be a part of this war that you really do not know what you’re getting into?” said Kurulkar. It’s something lead actor Ajinkya Dhage had to learn a lot about to immerse himself in the role. “Because I was playing the role of a Sikh man, I had to grow the beard. I had to wear the turban. But the moment you wear it, you don’t want the audience to feel like ‘he’s not wearing the turban properly’ or ‘he’s not wearing the beard properly,’” said Dhage. But he resonated with the main character, who felt there was nobody else like him. “When I left India back in 2016, I was in my early 20s, and I used to be homesick. I used to miss my family. And this is definitely an aspect of this character that I can completely relate with and that resonates with me, which is feeling homesick and feeling like an outsider,” said Dhage. Making a big-time movie usually means a big-time budget. But that’s something co-director and WLU grad Javier Alfaro admits they didn’t have. So, they got creative by shooting around southwestern Ontario, fundraising which gave them access to Hollywood-level equipment and connecting with the right people. “In Chatham, there’s this man named Tim. He runs the Canadian Historical Society up there, and he built a trench in his backyard. It’s an up-to-specs trench. He had authentic World War One uniforms, authentic World War One weaponry. It just kind of all fell in place,” said Alfaro. Part of the research for the film included learning about a very special Waterloo Region connection to a Sikh hero from the First World War whose grave site is the only known one for a Sikh soldier in Canada. “We went for the Remembrance Day ceremony of Private Buckam Singh here in Kitchener,” said Kurulkar. With the film’s full release set for next year, this team made up of a lot content from Waterloo Region is hoping this project is seen on a national and international stage. “We’re hoping to screen at TIFF. So TIFF, if you’re watching, know that ‘The Unknown Soldier’ is coming,” said producer Ejiro Movoria. “This was a grand project to be involved with. I’m really proud to be attached to this project.”
