Re: Khuda Ke Liye
I felt a bit dusturbed after reading Shoaib Mansoor’s interview(from an indian site tehelka) . He has clearly stated here that this film was his viewpoint on religion. well and good but somehow, I feel he tried to interpret islam as per his personal likes and dislikes. for example, in the court room scene the mullah(read SM) declared drinking alcohol is not liked by Allah when it’s clearly stated in the Quran that it’s a sin not just a minor dislikable act. shoaib mansoor should rise above biases. what sets out religion apart is that we are not dependent on how mr x or y interpret it for us. we’ve our book which addresses all aspects of life and anybody with common sense and integrity of character can fathom it’s meaning. people who try to create doubts are not sure about their own believes.
Here’s the interview:
Movie With A Message
Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor is well-known for successful TV plays such as Ankahi. He speaks to SHALINI SINGH on his debut feature film Khuda Ke Liye that has been making waves internationally.
**Shoaib, you’re considered a prominent cultural figure in your country and *Khuda Ke Liye *is an important film to come out of Pakistan and also your first motion picture. What was the trigger for it and how would you contextualise it in the present political scenario? **
It wasn’t one single incident. It was thousands of wrong doings by people of my faith and others, which cultivated enormous anger in me over the years. Every faith and religion is full of its followers who interpret it in the most illogical and unworthy ways. Islam is no exception. Majority of the Muslims have been full of complaints on the subject but since they are tolerant and silent, people outside the Islamic faith never really knew about it. After the 9/11 incident, unfortunately, the silent and tolerant majority faced the major brunt and their lives became extremely difficult and just bearing a Muslim name became a crime. Extremism and rigid interpretations of religion had always bothered me but the post 9/11 scenario triggered the writer inside me.
**Does the film largely reflect what is on the Pakistani mindscape these days, given the fact that it has been well received by Pakistanis in Pakistan and abroad? **
Well, not only the Pakistanis but also Muslims all over have liked it. The film has been released in UAE where many Arabs watched and felt associated with the subject as much as the Pakistanis. After that it was shown at the Cairo Film Festival (where it won an Award) and I was amazed to see people crying during and at the end of it. Majority of them were Egyptians and they all came running to me after the show to express how they felt and how that it was the voice of their hearts too.
**Were you out to set a precedent wherein filmmakers / creative people spoke more freely on issues that surround them? **
Yes. I am aware of the century-long discussion about art for art’s sake or art, which has some substance. I believe in both. I see nothing wrong in a film made only for some artistic pleasure (and I’m sure at some point I’ll be doing the same too) but I do feel that the problems that we developing nations are facing these days do make it imperative for us to use all possible mediums to put our illiterate and underdeveloped minds on the right path. If someone chooses to reject my film on the premise that it is full of ideology and heavy message, honestly I don’t give a damn. I’m out to achieve something through cinema, be it limited to raising questions only.
**You’ve touched upon several sensitive aspects – Islamic fundamentalism, women’s rights in Pakistan, dilemmas faced by progressive Muslims in Pakistan and world over. Could you share with us your personal views on all these issues? Where do you see yourself fitting in? **
Whatever is there in the movie is my personal view and conviction. Being the writer and director of the movie I take full responsibility and ownership of the views expressed. The response that this film has received in all quarters of Tolerant and Silent Muslims shows that I’m not the only one who feels this way. I wish the non-Muslim communities realise and acknowledge this big reality.
How did working with Naseeruddin Shah come about?
Naseeruddin Shah has played the role of a positive-thinking and forward-looking scholar of Islam. His character had to summarise the whole theme and refute the orthodox and rigid philosophy propagated by an extremist Maulana sahab. I picked him for two reasons. One that he is a great actor with a lovely deep voice (which I think the film needed) and two that through him I could add a certain subtle novelty for the Pakistani audience, which would give the character of Maulana Wali a tremendous boost. We did not know each other at all. He had not seen any of my previous work and even if he had he didn’t know it was mine (I hear that many in India have seen my play Unkahi). I got his number from my friend Salman Ahmad and called. His response was “Main commit nahin kar sukta, aap script bhijwa deejye main purh ke bataoonga”. I sent the script. The very third day I received an SMS from him saying “I love it. I will do it and won’t take any money for it”. I tried my best to convince him on the money matter but he did not budge. He is now that one man in my life who when I think of makes me feel small.
**What response did you anticipate for the film? What have been some of the reactions that you’ve got? **
Honestly, despite being very confident (I’ve been very successful in television since the last 30 years. I’m sorry for this conceited statement but it’s because people in India don’t know me.) I was afraid and ready to face the first failure of my life owing to what I went through the shooting of the whole movie. It’s a very long story. People in Pakistan knew fully well what was happening over and over again. It took four years to get finished and during that there were times when I was sure that it would never see the screen. Despite my utter dissatisfaction with the making of it, I was depending a lot on my script and eventually that’s what came to my rescue. The response has been tremendous. The only negative one I received came from one named Tariq Ali Khan (who lives in Britain and is a very respected thinker). He thought it was similar to bad propaganda movies that were made in the USSR during the Communist days. All in all, I respect his assessment.
**What plans to take the film forward, to other audiences? **
The film has already gone to UAE, UK and US and has done well. I have big hopes for it in India and the Arab World. It is an expensive film (from Pakistani point of view!) and Pakistan being a very small market for films cannot alone return the costs incurred. http://www.tehelka.com/story_main36.asp?filename=Ws221207Movie.asp