In a shocking incident in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, a 35-year-old man lost his life because of a kite string. Raghuveer Dhakad, a tile contractor from Bicholi Mardana, was riding home from a construction site on Sunday when a sharp kite string cut his throat. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he could not be saved.
The string involved in the accident was a banned “Chinese manjha,” a synthetic thread with a razor-sharp metallic coating. Incidents like these have been reported in several Indian states, and authorities have been trying to crack down on the sale and use of such dangerous kite strings.
From Tragedy To Oscar Nomination
While kite strings can be deadly, they have also inspired one of India's most celebrated documentaries in recent years. All That Breathes, a 2022 film directed by Shaunak Sen, tells the story of people trying to save black kites (the bird), which often fall prey to such strings.
The documentary gained international attention for its unique focus and won praise for capturing the spirit of these underrated heroes. In 2023, it earned India an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
The Oscar ultimately went to the American documentary Navalny, which focuses on the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Alongside these, films like Fire of Love, A House Made of Splinters, and All the Beauty and the Bloodshed were also nominated.
The Story Behind All That Breathes
All That Breathes follows the lives of two brothers, Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud, who run a bird clinic in Wazirabad, Delhi. Over the past 20 years, they have treated more than 20,000 raptors, primarily black kites, that have been injured by urban hazards like polluted skies, traffic, and kite strings.
The brothers grew up in Delhi surrounded by kites. In their childhood, relatives would throw meat into the air to feed the birds, a practice rooted in local Muslim beliefs that feeding kites helps expel troubles. As the city modernised, pollution worsened, and black kites began falling sick or dying. Nadeem and Saud decided to dedicate their lives to saving these birds, turning their small clinic into a lifeline for injured wildlife in the capital.
International Recognition
Beyond its Oscar nomination, All That Breathes received widespread international acclaim. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition. It also had a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Golden Eye award.
The Chinese Manjha Ban
Back on the ground in India, incidents like the one in Indore highlight the dangers that kite strings pose to both humans and birds. Several states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Delhi and Rajasthan, have reinforced bans on Chinese manjha ahead of kite-flying festivals. Police are cracking down on the sale, storage, and use of these dangerous threads, and violators face legal action.
