Lead Guitarist from Pakistan’s Biggest Rock Band Junoon is back with another documentary entitled ‘It’s my country too’. Directed by the award winning Ruhi Haq from the BBC, Salman talks to various Arab Muslims based out of Dearborn Michigan, about how their lives were affected by 9/11 and the discrimination they faced. Dearborn has one of the largest Arab-Muslim concentrations in the US.
The documentary will air on BBC 2 at 9 PM on March 15th.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 ‘Its My Country too’
This World
Tue 15 Mar, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins
Comics, taxi drivers, law reform campaigners, students, and a formidable aunt who runs President Bush’s website are some of the American Muslims encountered by Salman Ahmed, the leader of the Muslim world’s biggest rock group, Junoon, as he tours the country he’s made his home.
Salman meets a Muslim America full of verve, humour and unexpected political allegiances. They had retreated from political life after 9/11, but now they’re back with a vengeance, ready to claim back what they believe is their’s.
Before 9/11 Junoon played New York’s Central Park. Now they’re touring a changed country which seems hostile to Muslim Americans.
Stereo Widescreen
Website: BBC Two - This World
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
I live in Dearborn, its a pretty fun place to be.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
This World: My Country Too(w/t)
15th March 2005
BBC 2 21:00
The events of September 11 left many asking how such atrocities could be perpetrated in the name of religion: specifically, the religion of Islam. As U.S. opinion polls reflected a collective sense of mistrust toward a religion few Americans know much about, the State Department was rounding up Muslim immigrants as if they all shared a collective responsibility for the destruction of the WTC and the loss of 3000 lives.
Following the success of 'The RockStar & the Mullahs', a film in which musician Salman Ahmad challenged the Islamic authorities in his native Pakistan on their attitudes to music, now comes a different journey: on the road across the USA in the run up to the presidential elections. From New York via Virginia and Detroit to Denver, Colorado, Ahmad challenges the idea of being a Muslim in America. For the first time an assembled cast of ordinary people from different origins describe their struggle to be accepted first and foremost as proud Americans who happen to have a particular faith - Islam.
Among the people he meets are New York cabbie of Pakistani origin Syed Shah, who recognizes Salman immediately, comedian Azhar Usman who performs his 'Allah Made Me Funny' show in Chicago and lawyer Shareef Akeel, who specialises in discrimination and false arrest cases against Muslims and is now bringing a class action against the American contractors employed by the American Army at the Abu Ghraib prison on behalf of the Iraqi prisoners.
On his journey through America in the weeks before the presidential elections, Ahmad meets Palestinian Dr Abdelhaleem Al-Ashgar who has been under house arrest and electronically tagged for over a year for refusing to testify against his fellow Palestinians in front of a grand jury, Mrs Talat Hamdani, a teacher from Queens, whose son died on 9/11 and has become a political activist since, and the parents of Capt Humayun Khan's, a US army soldier killed in Iraq.
Others, like Mrs Seeme Hasan and her son Ali, have a somewhat different view: they are busy campaigning as 'Muslims for Bush'. Her family is one of the biggest donors to the Bush campaign; she is convinced that Bush is good for Muslims.
Salman Ahmad finds an intelligent, dignified and patriotic people who after 9/11 have inched closer to Islam yet are still very loyal to their American cultural roots. In fact it's within an American cultural context that they are developing a modern-Muslim identity. It's a rare silver lining to the turmoil that 9/11 has brought to the Muslim world and American Muslims.
Director: Clifford Bestall
Producer: Ruhi Hamid
October Films production for the BBC
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
1.25 Million Watch It's My Country Too!
South Asia's biggest and most popular rock band Junoon reached to
new heights of popularity this week when 1.25 million Britons
switched on to their TV's to watch It's My Country Too.
The documnetray was being eagerly awaited especially by British
Muslims, mainly Pakistanis who comprise nearly one million of the 2
million Muslim population from around the world. Young Pakistani
youths were engaged in informing each other of the documentary
through chat rooms and email networking. Junoon group has a huge
following in the UK amongst the South Asian communities.
Paul Rasmussen, BBC Current Affairs' spokesman, told the Pakistan
Post: "1.25 million viewers watched the documentary. It's really a
good figure.
"The viewing figure was 1 million when the programme started but the
number kept swelling and by the middle of the programme it had
reached to 1.25 million. This figure is particular very good for a
programme on an international topic."
For current affairs and international programmes, even on the prime
time slot, the viewing figure mostly remains below 1 million.
The documentary showcased the lives of Muslims in the US and in the
context of a changed nature of relationship between Muslims and the
United States in the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks.
'It's My Country Too' is Salman Ahmed's second documentary. His
first documentary 'The RockStar & the Mullahs won international
acclaim in which the Junoon's lead guitarist challenged the Islamic
authorities in Pakistan on their attitudes to music and
spiritualism.
In 'It's My Country Too', Salman Ahmed travelled across the USA in
the run up to the presidential elections and asks Muslim Americans
what it means for them to be Muslim and American. From New York via
Virginia and Detroit to Denver, Colorado, Ahmad challenges the idea
of being a Muslim in America. For the first time an assembled cast
of ordinary people from different origins describe their struggle to
be accepted first and foremost as proud Muslim Americans.
For American Muslim things have been very hostile since the 9/11 as
they are suspected of terrorism and hatred for America. Different
opinion polls have shown a collective mistrust of the majority
community towards Islam and Muslims. Thousands have been rounded up so far - many of them deported or imprisoned - by the FBI and State
Department as if Muslims all over the world share a collective
responsibility for the destruction of the World Trade Centre and the
loss of 3000 lives.
Among the people he meets are New York cabbie of Pakistani origi
Syed Shah, who recognizes Salman immediately, comedian Azhar sman
who performs his 'Allah Made Me Funny' show in Chicago and lawyer
Shareef Akeel, who specialises in discrimination and false arrest
cases against Muslims and is now bringing a class action against the
American contractors employed by the American Army at the Abu Ghraib
prison on behalf of the Iraqi prisoners.
He also meets Palestinian Dr Abdelhaleem Al-Ashgar who has been
under house arrest and electronically tagged for over a year for
refusing to testify against his fellow Palestinians in front of a
grand jury, Mrs Talat Hamdani, a teacher from Queens, whose son died
on 9/11 and has become a political activist since, and the parents
of Capt Humayun Khan's, a US army soldier killed in Iraq.
He also comes across a Republican Muslim family who were one the
biggest donors to the Bush re-election campaign.
The documentary showed how American Muslims are well integrated into
the mainstream society. At the same time they are equally proud of
their identities - Islam and Americanness.
Source: The Pakistan Post (weekly), London
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
way to go Junoon
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
It was a good documentary, particularly liked Usama bin Laughing guy, they were good! What were those Bushlims on? Drugs?
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
Spock, did you see this documentary? I dont get BBC2 here man.
Someone gimme a video link
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
spock bhai wat is ur view on salu's seemi aunt and her family.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
luc, I just got the doc today, havent seen it yet as I dont live in the UK. I will be watching it today in the evening.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
k i assumed u had seen it
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 ‘Its My Country too’
I just saw it… For 5abi and those of you who want to watch it…
LUC, I dont agree with Seemi, just like Salman didnt agree with her… But thats what you have to love about the country, you have people on both sides!
Awesome documentary, and just loved the soundtrack that went along with it! Junoon Rocks!
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
yeah thank god salu' didn't agree with her, i don't know wat bush has fed that family, sadly they r under the impression that bush actually gives a toss about them. as long as they r useful to him, it'll all be bliss.
she disgusted me with her comments on religion, things like quran was getting sexy during the middle of the nite or something???? + the family building a website for the bush campaign and ridiculing pak basically.. vote for bush means x number of f16's, vote for bush means x number of dollars for pak etc she embarrased me so much!
i felt for the lady in new york who's son's body was returned to her in 34 pieces {resulting from the twin towers conspiracy}. but her courage was outstanding, glad to see her standing on her 2 feet and doing something about the patriot act and other issues facing the pakis' in usa.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
Exactly, I think the portroyal of those two ladies was awesome. As for that guy Ali from Colorado, the only thing he said that made sense was the fact that he refuses to believe America was a prejudiced country, otherwise my family wouldnt have been a multi-millionare one. That guy actually emailed me yesterday :)
Those that want to watch the documentary, there is a link on my previous post. Go ahead and watch it, and post your comments.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 ‘Its My Country too’
go junnon go .. 
.. :love: ..
Ps: i missed this thread plus the show .. 
..
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 'Its My Country too'
Ghazal, you can watch it, just follow the link in #13 and u can watch it.
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 ‘Its My Country too’
oh oh ok ok thankew .. ..
Re: Junoon Documentary on BBC2 ‘Its My Country too’
watching all those people and families and their direct and indirect association to the 9/11 tragedy, me had a feeling i wus watching a muslim version of farhenheit 9/11. 
bismah, this is for you: www.muslimsforbush.com and meet the other haters of the Hasan’s on their message board. 