"Partitions divide countries, friendships find a way," says the caption below the video, which is one in a series of five videos.
The three-and-a-half minute commercial starts with Suman, a young girl in India, listening to her grandfather narrate his memories of Yousuf, his childhood friend he had shared memorable times with, in Lahore.
With watery eyes, he explains how the Partition split the two pals apart, with Yousuf staying in Pakistan as his friend crossed into India.
Distraught over the tale narrated by her grandfather, Suman takes a chance and runs a random search on Google.
Suman 'googles' the trivia from her grandfather's story to connect the dots and with just a few keystrokes, pinpoint the current whereabouts of Yousuf in Lahore.
'An old gate' and 'jhajariya' are all it takes Google to take Suman to Yousuf and his grandson Ali, an admittedly miraculous feat by the standards of only one generation ago.
The advertisement is currently going viral and owes its spiraling views to the overwhelming emotional appeal, grossing upwards of 100,000 views and innumerable facebook posts and tweets.
But it is also helping Google reemphasise the importance it assigns to the company's contribution toward connecting humanity and making actual, tangible effects on lives.
That was one of core elements emphasised in this summer's Hollywood film "The Internship", which was in fact derided by many critics as a "two-hour long Google commercial".
Another aspect tying the movie with the commercial is the tech giant's attempt to shed the association with a certain age group. While 'The Internship' portrayed that even two middle-aged outmoded salesmen could create a space for themselves at the company, 'Reunion' portrays Google's service to an age-group two generations older than Suman and Ali.
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COMMENTS (134)
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OMG This his heart wrenching..I am tears!! I miss my Grandfather now :( I sent my Grand ma some Jhajairya after watching this :') I so glad its available on Tohfay.com incase anyones want s to try it: http://www.tohfay.com/jhajariya-sweet-p-10274.html#.Up3YPBCVOSp Its absolutely delicious I tried it from Fazal sweets in my last visit <3
Its touchy and beautiful. made me cry.....
I am a 3rd generation east Indian having been born and raised on the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and I was truly moved by this video. I know, I too have family in India and Pakistan and the ad just compelled me to try and locate them using Google!!! Thanks Google for adding that spark to my evening having viewed this video and the touching scenes.
@Sid: I too was moved to tears after having watched this video, it is truly an tear jerking ad and the concept was just unbelievable! I am a third generation East Indian born and grew up in the Caribbean and yearn to meet my grandparents family in India/Pakistan one day.
This is massage to both of the country leadership to feel reality of the life and friends of both country file a patission in the court against both national Assambly to force by law to remove visa policy between two countries,
Great effort done by Google and people who make charcter of yousuf and his friends, great work please keep it up and many thousand of stories waitning for your more effort,
Which is the name of the song?
Well just 2 cents...its not just google but google "India" who brought this ad.
Pakistan is our country and it should never be shown that we should be one now. All things have taken place in a great event. We can not even live as good neighbors, what to talk abt being one again! Sincerely, these ads must not be made. Try to make out political, tactical relations better but being one does not suit us anymore. Pakistan was not created to become one with India again and tht was the dire need of time. Its a whole theory behind it. I mean no offenses to anyone but Pakistan is a blessing of Almighty Allah. Pakistan Zindabad.
Awww... Heat warming --- NO Thanks... Friendship, my fan.ny... Indians and Arab-wannabes cannot be friends. Period.
ETBLOGS1987
@usman786: Before partition, we were ruled by British. So the question of 'your elders treating us well' is nt relevant. In any case there are many in India that regret partition and loss of life and migration (forced) for many millions ha it caused. But it is a done deal. Feeling sad about partition does nt mean a desire to reverse it. Because anyway the people who died n either side cannot be brought to life. The 2 nations have walked a very different path and unification would be undesirable for all concerned.
This ad however is just about childhood friendship and also the fact that the grand kids cared enough about their elders. The ad was touching and I cried. This does not mean that I seek to reverse the partition.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: what about Hindu and Sikhs of pakistan and Bangladesh muslims in India enjoy minorty reservation from KG to prime minister post.
@Babloo: That's not the reality, just because you make up statistics doesn't mean that its true. Muslims were the principle victims of Partition, because that violence started to dissuade Muslims from their demand for independence. Massacres, bloodshed, kidnappings, and burning of Muslim mosques and homes only cementing the reality that Pakistan must be made to ensure peace and safety for the region's Muslims. Also Pakistani Punjab and Sindh have significant Hindu, Sikh, and Christian populations. Sikh and Hindu temples can be found throughout Pakistan, yet the same cannot be said of mosques in Indian Punjab. Many Christians also left Indian Punjab to come to Pakistan with the Muslims.
@Sid: You can't shift blame, where blame is due. The ones responsible for Partition are the same Hindu extremists who call Muslims "cancer" like BJP, RSS, Bajrang Dal, etc. Those roving bands of Sikh and Hindu vigilantes who attacked, kidnapped, raped defense-less Muslims throughout Punjab, Jammu, and Kashmir during Partition and the years afterwards. Those who completely cleansed Ferozepur and Indian Punjab of its Muslim majority population, leaving no sign that Muslims had ever been there. These people never had the opportunity to voluntarily choose where they wanted to live. Whole families of Muslims which had lived for hundreds of years, were gone in only a few days from this earth. You can't justify genocide and ethnic cleansing, no matter how you paint it. This is why the founders of Pakistan are hailed as heroes by Muslims the world over. Because of them, Muslims have a permanent future in Pakistan and can never be erased through bloodshed. May God reward those who sacrificed themselves for Pakistan.
What an incredibly moving ad. Both my grandparents - who were the landlords of two villages in UP, India - left their entire land and kothis as is to come to Pakistan during partition and for a period of time after moving to Karachi had to live in shantytowns. Can you imagine that? From being a landowner and living in a 1000 sq yd kothi to living in a shantytown with barely any money and several family members? And now some Pakistanis have the nerve to say that we're not "true Pakistanis" because we're not "sons of the soil" - Mohajirs are the ones who made the true sacrifice during Partition. My grandfather still reminisces strongly about his village and has vivid memories of his childhood spent there.
great ad anyway we indians and pakistanis are united here in u.k .
Meanwhile, the 440N Liquid Engine of the Mangalyan completed firing successfully to raise the apogee to about 1.92 lakh km in this 5th Manoeuver. The next critical step is scheduled for 1st Dec, where the spacecraft will be transferred from orbit around earth to the trans-martian orbit to begin a 300 days journey.
Let us all, the people of the Indian subcontinent (Hindustanis) celebrate this partial success and hope for a successful insertion into Martian orbit.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Sahab. If I have to purely go by history of partition written by any author not associated with India, then the riots during partition started not when muslims demand their own land. But happened by "Direct Action" call by Jinnah. Maybe he did not imagine the consequence. Even then not all Hindus and all Muslims were fighting against each other. I have many family associations with muslims in India and Pakistan who share the tale that there were Muslims who were protected and covered by Hindus during riots and Hindus who were protected by Muslims. Unfortunately we all tend to forget those human deeds and remember only what bad has happened. As they say there is no bigger news then BAD news. Why was there demand of separate muslim land rather than demand for stronger secular constitution which would have abolished any religious extremism and truly made it free for people of any faith to follow what they like and respect other's religious sentiments ? My knowledge in history is not very vast but with certain confidence and from many historical recordings I am certain that during mid 1800s till early 1900s Hindus and Muslims fought for each other against British, not against each other. What incident exactly happened suddenly during 1940s that Muslims started feeling threat from Hindus ? Every Pakistani I know only knows the history from Partition and consequences of partition. But I have never heard anyone speak of any major incident in pro independence where Hindus and Muslims had clashes which would have resulted in Muslims demanding their own land. Please share any such documented incident and help me improve my knowledge.
@usman786: Dear brother, if few comments in Times of India indeed represent view of more than 700 million Hindus on Muslims in India than you are also justifying few anti non-muslim Pakistani comments in your media. Most of these keyboard warriors come to this site to vent out their daily frustrations. And what is more easier than taking out your anger on someone you never met or know anything about. What post independent Pakistanis and Indian knows about each other is mostly through a very narrow lens of media presentation, and adulterated history. Humans resort to protecting their kinds under threat even they have to resort to violence. Its our basic nature. And the religious leaders and people with vested interests makes use of this nature and exploit the sentiments to instigate inter religious hatred. Odds are always strong against any good thing to happen. It is easier to give up against the religiously violent few rather than standing up against them and crush them forever. This nature of Indians and Pakistan to retreat back to their cocoons under threat of their religious extremists is what keeping the wounds of partitions afresh, To my few Pakistani friends who commented about my wish for India and Pakistan to be one again. You have a choice to look at this comment anyway you want. As for me, it doesn't matter how we unite again, with open borders, easy visa, merge back as one land ( not going to happen for many logistical reasons and not just sentimental reasons ) . Being one again does not imply joining back the states. But it is an expression that we can be united by whatever practical means. Salam again.
@prabhjyot singh madan:
Bro, after reading your comment I strongly recommend you visiting Pakistan. You will see being a Sardar and easily recognised would go in your benefit, and you will get so much love and respect in Punjab. Ask the people who visit Pakistan for religious "Yatra" and see how most of them feel.
I have a close friend from Amritsar (a Sardar) who visited Pakistan with his grandfather, his grandfather moved from Pakistani side of Punjab, he went in his old neighbourhood to see his house and long story short he ended up staying at his old house, because the family living there now (immigrants from Indian side) insisted and were happy to host them. His grandfather also met with some of his childhood friends.
@Diogenes:
Very Well said. It is time to make efforts to live together as neighbours. We have extremists on both sides. Some Indians propose a merger and some Pakistanis go to other extreme and are so hostile that they do not want to do anything with India. Fact is that two countries are neighbours (and will be in future). So it is best to find a way to live peacefully.
US/Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Germany/Austria and more than 18 Spanish speaking countries and territories in Central and South American are some other examples of countries with similar culture and language yet separate borders. My message to Pakistanis, friendship and good relations with India does not mean you are surrendering your sovereignty. Good relations (hopefully leading to lowered defence budgets down the road) will help ordinary people on both sides.
The truth is , only 15% of Indian muslims in 1947 were killed or expelled by riots.
The truth is 90% of non-muslims in Pakistan ( Hindus, Sikhs ) were killed, forcibly converted or expelled during 1947 riots. So do you see the difference ? Muslims today make 15% of Indian population up from 8% at partition. Hindus and sikhs today make 1 % of Pakistan population, down from 22% at partition. Sindh alone had 29% Hindus in 1947. Hindus have bneen the overwhelming victims of 1947. Bye the way, 90% of Indians today would say a big NO to any re-unification. Once bitten, twice shy.
Long boring ridiculously twisted emotionally.......that's my two cents aur daunaun budhay bilkul farigh thay
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Well, you can claim anything and I can argue endlessly with you but there is no use . Just Google Malerkotla and you will get most of your answers . You will find millions of Muslims in Indian Punjab but I doubt same in case of Pakistani Punjab.
@lovePak: Neighboring countries can have disputes. They need to solved at the discussion table, not by wars or jihad. China and SriLanka may hate us, but we can move forward by negotiations. This was evident by our PM's recent visit to China. Also, I don't blame China or SriLanka for any problems in my country. As far as the Indus water treaty, building of dams is technically permissible as long as volume flowing to Pakistan is not diminishing (and its not). Look at this NYT article (independent not Indian source). So, India is not violating any law. Frankly most Indians would not like to do anything with your country (love or hate). We just want to live our lives (I repeat again). Can you say the same about your country? Here is the New York Times article- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/opinion/16solomon.html?_r=0
Its touching!! But partition was necessary, its my personal opinion, partition prevented many riots in the past, if partition was not happened there will be riot in every second and more tragedy would happen.
Pakistanis deserve Pakistan
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: So you want all Muslim from Afghanistan to Burma should move to Saudi Arabia? As per History From Afghanistan to all over India were Hindu Kingdom.
@Vlad singh: No doubt Hindus and Sikhs were killed. I don't doubt this point. Yet the partition violence began as a reaction to the Muslim demand for Pakistan, and the vast majority of those armed, with military or police training were Hindus and Sikhs. Muslims were forbidden by the British from government, police, and military jobs for a major part of the British rule. The lack of arms and the capabilities of self-defense meant the Muslims, for the most part were completely helpless.
You can't doubt that 1 million Punjabi Muslims were massacred during Partition, including the Muslim majority district of Ferozepur, which was completely cleansed of Muslims. The stories of Sikh and Hindu mobs attacking Muslim refugees is well known, the ghost trains full of murdered Muslim families, and those Muslim women who were stripped, raped, paraded through cities naked, and burned alive en masse across the Pakistani border so all the Muslims could see the smoke and yet were completely helpless to stop it. We will never forget the sacrifices of our people. For a certainty, they are in Paradise now and their tormentors as in Hellfire.
ad is not about reunification of country rather it is about reunification of hearts across both side of border. I'm not sure how long will it take but but I'm sure that peace is the only way forward if both the countries wants to prosper. India pak relation is the most complex relation in the world I believe. Intellectuals in pak says that since we were incompatible in living with hindus that's why we asked for separate nation bcoz we want to give justice to Muslim community however whole world believes otherwise. if they are so indifferent people then how are managing in living other countries together and in fact some of them are good friends too. Even a fool can find serious contraction between the idea of pakistan at the time of independence and wht it is today. On the other hand India could not overcome poverty and other social problems and have long way to go but i think we are on right track and will achieve it some day for sure. I wish good luck to my Pakistani neighbors and can hope that both of us will prosper together someday.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: The cancer spread through my Kashmir, where lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits, the natives of the land, have lived. We want our homeland back, and we want partition to be completed. What's wrong in that?
My ancestral cities are gujranwala and rawalpindi. Gujranwala is filled with extremists and pindi harbours terrorists so I have no intention of going to pakistan and get kidnapped or killed like Daniel pearl because I am a sardar and easily recognizable. India has accepted pakistan by pm a.b.Vajpayee officially at jinnahs mazar.so relax people and have a cold glass of lassi, it is refreshing during winter times. Rab rakha
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: more than 1 million Muslims were kidnapped, raped, tortured, massacred, and burned alive during Partition by Indians. So you think no Hindus or Sikhs were killed during Partition ? Partition is reality, so we should move on like friends or even as strangers. You claim further division of India but latest division that happened was of Pakistan. My dear , with Pakistani books please read literature and history from other countries. It always benefits and dissolves any poison in the heart . I hope you visit India whenever life permits and maybe I will visit Pakistan one day .
It is very touching. I watch it a couple of times.
Ali Khan
@Sid: Had your elders treated us well, then we might have remained united liked several centuries in the past. but just see comments against Pakistan and islam on Times of India where you will come to see the true Hinduism. We are happy here and lived freely till US backed mujahedeen started backlash on us in this century
@Surya: Your words prove why Partition was inevitable, Referring to Muslims as a disease to be amputated. How irresponsible. Unfortunately, you Hindus still do not understand the wrongs which you inflicted on Muslims then, and continue to do so on Kashmiris and Indian Muslims even to this day. To deny Pakistan, more than 1 million Muslims were kidnapped, raped, tortured, massacred, and burned alive during Partition by Indians. They paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will never forget them.
I am fairly certain that as long as Hindu fanatics such as yourself hold unto these notions of referring to other people as diseases, that India will experience further partitions and divisions. You still have some time to evolve into civilized human beings. Let's hope you learn the errors of your ways.
And honestly, Indians just take anything about the sub-continent and somehow find a way to bash Pakistan about it. Yes, India does have a much stronger economy. But a few years ago, it was booming but that boom has kinda ended. Now, it's falling just like everywhere else. And the boom only created a richer elite class, so Indians now own lots of huge clubs in several different countries. It did not majorly change the condition of the average Indian.
And maybe you should go to Pakistan or take a look at Pakistan other than what you see in the news. It's not as horrible as you think, we still live ordinary lives here, and no Indian has never been attacked here unlike the other way around. We have less poverty, our cities are cleaner, more organized at least as admitted by Indians who have visited. It's just a normal country and there is terrorism, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying. The only places that are seriously halted are Balochistan, FATA, some parts of KPK y terrorism and Waziristan where life is completely messed up by drones.
So stop mocking Pakistan by saying you cut a tumor, it's quite offensive. Lack of respect for each other is probably the main reason life can't be what it is in the ad. Just celebrate your independence, and let us celebrate ours without interfering. And accept the differences that make this world great.
First of All I am a Bangladeshi, a Bengali Muslim. I am to say something to some people here (definitely from India) who are "cleverly arguing" against the Partition by pointing out some Emotional sentiments among the People of Unpartitioned Era, but Truth is that Partition of 1947 was the perfect and timely Historical turnabout to avoid further Communal turmoils between two large Communities. When a Glass gets broken then you will never be able to turn the Glass back to its past state, Amity between two Communities is similar to that glass. Hindu Community of Unpartitioned Era was aversed against the Muslims and always tried to Rule over the Muslim Community by using their hegemony of Communal Majority and by their warm ties with British Administrators. For some malevolent reasons Hindu Community always acted enviously against the Progress and Raise of Muslim Community, and used to stand against any Development Program eyeing for the betterment of Muslim Community led by Britishers. In 1906 Partition of Bengal, We the Bengali Muslims witnessed how Jealously and Maliciously the Elites of Bengali Hindu Community resided in Calcutta acted against the Pathway of Muslim Betterment Projects, Even they opposed the establishment of a single University in Muslim Majority East Bengal. These kinds of Malevolent Acts left no other way except the Establishment of a Separate Muslim Country for Muslims in the Subcontinent region. Look at the Arabian Peninsula, Entire region there are filled with Identical Arab Peoples of same religion and same ethnicity but they live in some separate counties eyeing for their widespread betterment, if so then why not for Subcontinent where ethnicity and religion of people aren't even Identical! And Partition is not any problem for ties among peoples, the main problem is Disputes, Mistrusts and Hostile Relation among the Countries here. If countries here become successful to get out of their hostility among themselves by solving their bilateral Disputes then ties among the people of these countries will be as easy as that of European Union. But Who cry against the Partition hiding the main issues they actually still dream secretly for their fanciful "Undivided India" (Akhand Bharat-Mata) where Lands/Resources/Opportunities will be reserved only for Majority Community's People while depriving the Non-Majority Community's people of their deserved rights and developments.
Partition was unfortunate - we all could have lived in harmony, but now that it has happened, we have seen the result. One country is in doldrums while the other is a fast rising emerging market, and a trusted partner in the international community. A part of our nation was amputated but with it, perhaps the disease was thrown out too. That being said, maybe if we were unified, we might have have been even stronger, who knows? What we do know for sure, is that reunification is out of question because Pakistan has gone too far down the wrong path of self destruction.
@Giri: Baloch (not Balochis) are a Muslim people, and one of the founding people of the Pakistani nation. You are a Hindu Indian, therefore you have no relation to us. Do not speak for us and stop supporting violence and bloodshed in our country.
@Rahul I don't get it. Why do Indians think that Pakistan is responsible for all the problems in India when India is not only hated by Pakistan, but by nearly all of it's other neighbors as well. Sri Lanka, China, even Bangladesh has started hating India. And it's not because anyone is jealous of India. It's because you are the root of several problems of the region as well. So please stop thinking of India as a state being bombed and butchered by Pakistan, we're all at the receiving end of it from you as well.
We'd love you too. Forget Kashmir and Sharia Law in Delhi. You could start earning some trust by abiding by the Indus Water Treaty and giving us our rightful rivers back. And please stop opening all the dams during floods. It only kills a lot more people.
@Kash..partition of India was blunder ..and creation of Bangladesh was mistake..
this ad made me cry .. i have my half family in india love them all... we are one..
I donot think this is practised in next generations for keeping the relations stronger enough to proceed it till oldage... Yet we are crazy about relations.write down few words regarding your community @ http://clikinn.pk/community
@Giri: Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan. Pakistan ZINDABAD!
@Nobody: How did what I said contradict your statement? Please enlighten me. And then you call my comments childlike. Your must really really be a Rhodes Scholar.
@Rahul: Feel better after stating the obvious? Surprised at the childlike comments being published here. Adults snapping at each other with comebacks because one person mentioned India Pakistan becoming one, albeit unrealistically? The two nations will never grow up it seems. Nobody's arguing to reunite. But I would argue to be at peace with one another as fighting has gotten neither nation anywhere. No reason they can't be at peace and stay out of each other's way.
@Surya: My dear you didn't cut it off, it fought it's way off. The Indian subcontinent did not want to break apart at the time, but to some, it was worth fighting for.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan We also mourn for our balochis, until they get their freedom and Balochistan is an independent country. hail baloch.
There are some seriously hopeless people on this comment exchange, who, after watching a video like this, can only think of things like why partition was good and why one region is "still better" than the other. Shame on you guys - I know this is coming mostly from the Pakistanis on this comment exchange, but I think that speaks volumes of how pathetic a state Pak and many of its people are in.
Anyway, despite some distasteful comments, I thought this was a very touching and heartfelt video - I loved it. I am a grown man, and yet I shed a tear when I saw this. Partition was the single most tragic event to happen in this region, and I still maintain, AS A PAKISTANI, that it should never have happened. Life would have been a lot better :)
-Peace!
@Haider: That is advertisement and it has nothing to do reality may be in 100 years that will work. It is just Google advertisement and non else
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan
Muslims land? Please explain to me the origin of the name "Kashmir" or the history of any of your so called Muslim lands.
And secondly if you want any videos made of the Hindu mob you will also get many more of the Muslim mobs as well. Do you really want to see these videos? Please remember these atrocities didn't happen from just one side, same as the stories of human compassion of neighbors saving neighbors or even strangers helping complete strangers, are present on both sides.
you mention "....allows equal rights and protection for Indian Muslims....". What exactly do you mean by that? Indian constitution does not discriminate against any of its citizen based on their religion, cast, creed or gender. Can you say the same about your country? Then why point fingers at others for something you yourself do not believe in. Its called hypocrisy, probably the reason you feel the work does not listen to or care about your cause.
And regarding India not accepting Pakistan's right to exist, it may have been true of the generation right at the time of partition, and for understandable reasons, but the new generation doesn't want to have anything to do with your country. Please think logically exactly what does Pakistan bring to table that the people of India may desire enough to justify all the extremist that would be inherited along? And just to counter your argument, how long did it take for Pakistan to accept the creation of Bangladesh?
@lovePak: Who is talking about reunification. All Indians want to do is move forward with their lives, but the incessant bomb blast and butchering of innocents make us hate Pakistan. If not for these things, most Indians would love Pakistanis as their brothers. BTW - No reunification ever. Just let us live our lives please.
All together, now! Boo-hoo, Boo-hoo!
Love the short advertisement. if only more like this were made.
Check out this heart warming short story that is currently going viral as well.
Currently gone viral with 100,000 views!
The film is meant to reach out to kids who are living in different countries than their parents. The lesson: "Here is my tribute back to my parents and family. Lesson for all...for those out there who are missing their parents or just always feel like they are constrained by their parents..these feelings of independence are fleeting and when you actually obtain independence you miss the constraints you once had.
VIRAL Short film: https://vimeo.com/78098866
The wonders of technology knows no bounds ........ it is from small beautiful creations like this that much bigger things happen.
Yes I cried.
@Haider: Here you go sir http://fazalsweets.com/
The ad has nothing to do about a re-union of the nation or for that matter anything like India and Pakistan need to be a one nation. It is simply an ad appealing to the emotions of the divided persons, be it friend or relatives and how Google can unite them. More about a union and nothing about the unification of the two countries.
@Rahul: I would be cautious with the word "ever". You never know what is "ever" going to happen. As an avid reader of history and passionate traveler, I can tell you nothing is "ever" impossible. I am not for merger but you never know what can happen "ever".
@Wanna be Indian?Never: Don't worry friend. Even Indians don't want to merge with Pakistan. We just want to develop our country and move forward so that Indians have better standards of living. There won't be any reunification ever.
@Sid: I am not even a Muslim, but I am a proud Pakistani. I have nothing against Indians. I have actually many Indian friends, but Pakistan will never re-join India. We are a separate country now. Get over it.
@Surya So you are saying the natives of Kashmir who converted to become Muslims do not have a claim on their homeland? and just because they are Muslims inclined to get independence can't have it? To me it is more like ego issue than "homeland".
So Emotoinal Tears in my eyes i wana see Pakistanies and indian together and Remain peacefully Ameen
Frankly, we cut off a cancerous tumour back in '47. Glad we did it.
Yes we love this ad, Yes we love the concept, Yes we love to live in peace and tranquility but don't expect to get united again. Accept each other with open hearts and move on.
Google should be concerned and careful about Indian sentiments as we love to hate and ignore Pakistan and Pakistanis . And old people like these are only links and we want to disappear asap ,so that we can make our self the strongest country on earth. We won't tolerate such stupid things from google .
I mean we need to understand that any 'unexplored' territory is good enough for publicity. I am sure the makers of this ad had the best intentions at heart but then again , its all for publicity naaaa. A few years back there was some sunflower ad in which they showed an 'intelligent' wife shifting to this brand as she wanted her fat husband to get rid of his cholesterol. The ad makers ( I am sure) want women ( to feel self contained) to shift towards their brand .
Mulk Halathe Jung me hai aur we are showing a Pakistani going to India surrendering to his friend. No PIA Plane is showed in which he travel from Pakistan to India. This shows that only Pakistani politicians can use PIA and spend the public money. This shows that we need to bring in Patriotic, Technocrat sipah salaar who will stop the people from going to naie dehili.
@Awais, I feel for my half a million Kashmiri Pandits who were brutalised by people from across the border and evicted from our homeland.
I wish we were united, from a Pakistani.
If Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of the BJP can write in the Visitor's Book at the Minar e Pakistan that "The Integrity of Pakistan is the sine qua non of India's unity" way way waaay back in 1999 and you guys can't recognise that then ... i don't know what India can do to convince you, short of handing over Kashmir and implementing sharia in new delhi, that it does not want to destroy pakistan.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Even though I like the video and the caption, but you are right. Not everyone's story is like this. There are many whose stories remind them of rape, murder, torture etc. I feel for poor Kashmiris whose entire lives are full of such horrors. But still a good video.
Sniff sniff. Touching indeed, but its all for publicity of their product.
@Gingo: We do not "mourn" for East Pakistan as you have said it. In fact we Pakistanis have accepted Bangladesh as a separate country and considers Bangladeshis as our brothers. It is India which has not accepted Pakistan's creation even after 65 years.
Touching video. Whilst I always will maintain my friendship with individual Pakistanis, I still think that the country should not have been created. However, now that it has already been created, for those who talk about reunification - I'd say never. Partition is still incomplete. It is an all or nothing deal. The LoC should be the final border in Kashmir, and our Pandit community should be repatriated to Indian Kashmir while the rest can move to PoK if they want.
@just_someone: Its natural for a country to mourn separation. After all don't Pakistanis mourn about losing their Eastern wing till date?
@Wanna be Indian?Never: India does not have second rate citizens though from your outburst only second rate thinking is visible. Brother, India has not massacred or converted its minorities from 16% of its population to 2%, like another country we know, its minorities have increased since Independence. Guilt should not unbalance the human mind, like it has yours unfortunately.
I dont know about others but I would never want to be an Indian. We are different nations with different religious and cultural values. I love my Pakistan. Pakistan paindabad!!
No one is talking about reunification... just allowing people to meet each other.
@Wanna be Indian?Never: To many Indians reunification is a nightmare.forget it.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: The video should also include scenes about the hounding of Hindus,Christians,shias and Ahmadiyas.then it will be complete and truthful.
@just_someone: Totally agree with.India and Pakistan are too far down the road to ever think of becoming one.It is not good for either of the two.Let us go our way and we have chosen different paths.India the path of progress and Pakistan the one based o religion.
It's a really nice ad, but Pakistan and India don't need to be in the same country to do this. Can't we all get along in separate countries? Europe certainly has.
bull**... this is what i searched ... and this is what i received the results...
http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/6365/4q2c.jpg
This ad is a waste of time. What do arabs and Indians have in common?
such stories make me feel sad :-/
I also got a my school classmate friend through google search. Now he is university Professor in US, we have plan to meet in Decemeber in Pakistan. Google is nice search engine.
This ad seriously needs to reach out more.. I wouldn't be surprised if it goes viral..made me cry at the end..
@Sid: Thank you! I am a Muslim from Karachi, Pakistan and I admire your views. Even if the partition happened, there was no reason to fight 3 wars after that. We could have lived peacefully and allowed people to meet each other instead of fighting like idiots. We should learn from European Union.
BTW my best friends are from pakistan...met them in cyprus...love to pakistan from india
Made me cry.........humanity is one................
Everything comes with a price... The day you realise that, is the day you find peace.
ofcourse I didnt cry but someone was cutting onions close to me damn
@Kash: Are all Muslims in Pakistan very well to do ? And is every non Muslim very prosperous and well to do in India ?
Cant get more awesomeness,feelings and emotions in 3 mins <3 Thumbs up for Google for bringing such Reunion story......To me if some thing is wrong between Pakistan & India is govt,media and army......not common :)
I think once Pakistan comes back from the brink, gives up jihadi politics and declares itself a secular country, there is nothing that can stop re-unification.
@ Dear Pakistanis This is an ad about a reunion between childhood friends. Pls ignore the word Lahore in the ad and appreciate the sentiment instead. I grew misty-eyed when I saw it, and my wife actually cried. Our childhood is often defined by our friendships, and this ad triggers those memories rather than the fortuitous event of partition, which is thankfully irreversible, and which majority of Indians and their families remain unconnected with.
I am Anti "Aman Ki asha " But Cried for this Ad
No sane person talks of reunion of India and Pakistan - No one says Pakistanis should live as second class citizens and the question of "was Partition a mistake" is meaningless - it is a reality almost 70 years old now.
The question is how do we want to live in the future. Do we want to keep people apart the way that they are kept apart these days? I would say no, no, a thousand times no.
-- An Indian Hindu with no family ties with Pakistan
@Sid: Paritition of india was not the curse but the demand of the muslims of india. My parents also migrated from India. they also have similar stories to tell but my dad always mention that what we are today are just because of Pakistan. I visited dehli few years back with him and saw the situation of muslims living there in general. their situation is still pathetic. India is secular only in the eyes of the west but internally they are the real hindu state. We should thank to Allah that due to sacrifice of our elders we are living ina much better situation.
yup i cried...
We can never be one.We are different.We got our country by sacrificing everything which we had at that time.Pakistan was created that very day when the first Indian Hindu converted to Islam.After all this Aman ki Asha,media is trying to portray as if we have everything in common but we should always remember that if we could have survived together our ancestors would have never sacrificed so much for getting this piece of land. We don't want to become a second grade citizen in India,once again.Yeah we want to have good relation with India but that doesn't mean that we should start forgetting our past and start talking of unification of Indo-Pak,as many people are doing on social media
Mr HA Sid .
No need to cry for people who are divided 60 Years back , where ever they are , they will be happy .Please pay attention to Minority in country who are reduced to nothing , then cry for Non muslims who got separated 60years back ,stupid add.
Nice story.
awesome
Not everyone's history with partition is like this. Millions of our Muslim brothers were dispossessed, massacred, and forced to flee Hindu areas. When will Google create a video about the experiences of the Muslims of Kashmir, Jammu, Punjab, Ferozepur, Gujurat, and UP who were massacred and chased out by Hindu mobs? I am not even mentioning the Indian-sponsored massacres of Pukhtoons, Punjabis, Biharis, and Assamese in 1971 in East Pakistan. Until India accepts Pakistan's right to exist, allows Muslim Kashmiris to determine their destiny for merger with Pakistan, and allows equal rights and protection for Indian Muslims, there can never be peace.
It is really outrageous how much the world connivance mitigates the phenomenal amount of Muslim suffering for the last 200 years, and yet we still have Muslim lands occupied by Non-Muslim powers today in every region. Freedom is assured, and those who get in the way, will be on the wrong side of history.
Tears in my eyes.... ...
@Sid:
Yupp.. agreed to that with someone who wrote that on you tube as well! :)
My own relatives also reside in India, actually my grandparents (both maternal and paternal) had migrated from India few years after the partition. There are many divided families, plus cultural similarities refuse to shun their centuries old relationships. There are probably many others like the two senior citizens in both the nations.
One can't erase childhood memories that easily. And as far as I have heard from my parents and grandparents, friendships and social harmony were more legit in their time than it is presently.
Man Made borders cannot stop birds from migrating .....
All the damages have been done....Now its time to forget the past and think of future....England and France fought with each other for around 700 years till they began to cooperate with each other...So 67 years is not a huge time frame to forget....
But alas,we will keep fighting as long as few people profit by our cold war....
I felt a lumpin my throat while watching the video. Reminded me of the stories my late grandfather used to tell me about Delhi. It is a great commercial, kudos to google for humanizing a tech giant.
Sad you have to link to Vimeo (where it is illegally posted) for this. Can't GoP unban youtube for just this video?
@just_someone:
You very much have this knack of getting down to business level as and when the moment presents itself, don't you ? :D
@just_someone: No body is talking about Google's technical competence here. This ad brings a sentimental value to many in India and Pakistan, as it reminds them of their ancestors. Google's only contribution in this ad, is to capture the unsaid sentiments which actually exists between the two countries, plus showing how their technology can be used to do simple stuff "Search". Android's architecture is probably messy, (which is not under discussion here), but Google's search engine is a by-default option for many.
I'm from India. This video really brought tears to my eyes. I love Pakistan and its people . We are all the same, politics and religion played the game between us.
It brought tears in my eyes! My parents used to tell me similar stories.
@Sid: Heard it from every Indian that Pak should never have separated! Please mind your own matters. Pak is its own country, live and let live. Stop commenting on how you would like Pak to join India...We might have problems, but most Pakistanis would never want Pak to be India. I cant even tell you the amount of reasons why we prefer our country!
only one sentence Tears in my eyes
Lets see what Zaid Hamid, Orya and Abbasi have to say about this. I bet this will be another 'conspiracy' according to them
Aww..I got all teary eyed..Such a sweet ad..
Ah, great video. Friendship knows no boundary.
This is a very touching story. It will bring tears even to the most stone hearted.
aww so emotional!
Amazing and touchy, it made me cry. Partition stories are so real. I have heard my grandparents and other elderly members in the family narrating similar stories from their childhood, about their friends, about their villages and the lives they had left behind. Many of those people are not with us anymore, but looking at this remimnded me that how they would have felt after seeing this ad. Thank you Google!!!
Call me sissy, but this video did bring tears to my eyes. And I don't even have a friend whom I lost during partition. But what makes me wonder is that there are millions such people who faced the brunt of partition and had left behind their friends, relatives and above all emotional valuables, will they ever get a chance for re-union from the people they are separated. Partition was a curse to this region. I understand quite many Pakistani muslims have reservations on this subject. But a honest introspection can help to understand that we had a choice to strengthen secularism rather than strengthening hands of religious extremists who won during partition. Irrespective of our different path of beliefs and whatever bloodline we belong to, we are the children of this soil which binds us, whether we like it or not. My sincere prayers for a day when India and Pakistan unite again. Salam.