By the time I watched Anurag Kashyap's Gulaal and Nandita's Firaaq the films were reviewed several times over and opinions on them were set aside to make room for new releases.

But like most things films often arrive late to the city of Guwahati. At least they arrive! The rest of the north east cannot even afford to have such expectations.

Manipur anyway has a ban on Hindi films though the pirated versions are out of stock even before the metros announce their first week collection. Piracy is the only means of survival for a film lover here.

Firaaq is slow. The storytelling I thought is weak. I was neither moved nor intrigued. But the restraint in every frame, in almost every dialogue is impressive. Post-riot situations are never dramatic and Das seems to have understood that. The film was nuanced but short of being interesting.

I thought Gulaal is an improved version of Dev D with Anurag Kashyap signature. Too many strands juxtaposed with a multitude of characters. He lets loose but successfully creates the sense of degradation, erosion and confusion. One of the characters had a distinct Marathi accent, one who finally took over the reigns of Rajputana. Kashyap generally doesn't overlook such details.

I loved the music and in many ways it appeared to me a Piyush Mishra film. His character was developed rather well and sustained interest to the very end. Once I came home I downloaded all the songs. I've been listening to them since.

But why discuss Gulaal and Firaaq in midst of the 'election charcha'.

In Gulal's opening soliloquy on Rajputana, its leader refers to Sardar Patel's idea of 'One India' and questions that when the Sardar wanted everyone to give their land, wealth, life for a 'One India' everyone came forward and readily gave or were forced to give.

What has happened to that 'One India'?

If Kashyap had asked this question in the North East he would have had a million takers.

Gulaal should surely get a concession against the militant diktat on Hindi films in Manipur!

For years the armed separatists have been harping on how Manipur was annexed by the Indian union in an act of betrayal. That's not far from the fact. But what's worse is after accession with the promise of One India, princely states like Tripura or Asiatic sovereigns' like Manipur continue to be only in the map of India as a name and a budget head for fund disbursement. The Tripura palace is now the state legislative assembly and till recently Kangla Fort (from where Manipur was once ruled) was occupied by the Assam Rifles.

When the Maoists very stealthily entered the North East in 2008 they signed a joint declaration with the Revolutionary People's Front of Manipur and even in that declaration they referred to the accession story and how much they condemn the annexation of Manipur by the Dominion of India and that the Merger was illegal and unconstitutional. Et cetera et cetera.

Cut to general elections 2009.

Since February 19 this year Manipur has been under continuous night curfew.

In the first forty five days of this year more than ninety people were killed in militant violence. That at an average of two every day.

The anarchic situation warranted that Election Commission hold polling in two phases for just two seats that Manipur elects to the Parliament.

Besides the Election Commission and the respective political parties making their calculations elections in Manipur went almost unnoticed.

Tripura wasn't in popular mindscape either.

Neither was N C Hills or Bodoland where clashes between armed groups or armed groups targetting civilians and security forces is a routine affair.

So what was Sardar Patel talking about?

The only 'One India' I know of is a subsidised telecom package for mobile subscribers that extends to these erstwhile kingdoms.