1) It is the best Pakistani Movie ever made.
2) It has to be an entry to the Oscars 2009.
3) It depicts the backlash Muslims faced after 9/11.
These were the only notions which I had before I went to see the movie – Khuda Kay Liye – In the Name of God. I had no clue about the history of its director Shoaib Mansoor, his multi-talented background, nor was I aware of the reason he made this movie, until I bumped into this blog post by Adnan Siddiqui. Now as I am a bit more learned about the circumstantial aspects of the movie, the inspiration behind the character played by one of the main protagonists – Sarmad , i.e. Fawad Khan, and the hullaboo (read: outrage) regarding the subject of the movie in Pakistan, I guess I can give a better shot at narrating what I experienced.
The movie has 2 parallel plots running – based on the experiences of 2 young brothers, who come from a so-called modern and unorthodox financially well-off Pakistani family. Both the brothers are into music and while the elder choses to go to the US to attend a course in music, the younger brother is inspired by an influential Islamic cleric – who is said to depict the real life Maulana Tariq Jamil, and foregoes his love for music and eventually is brainwashed to become a Mujahideen fighting for the cause of the fundamentalists supporting the likes of Taliban.
However different paths were chosen by both, destiny had the same irony in store for them – being USED in the name of God, albeit in completely different geographies, starkly opposite social and economic backgrounds and being victimised to such an extent that even the most gruesome acts of inhumanity would be put to shame. A 3rd victim of the whole fuss was a British born Pakistani girl, 1st cousin of the brothers, whose character threw light on the medieval treatment still being meted out to women in many parts of the world, especially in conservative societies.
What makes the efforts of the director a feat ever unheard-of, is the conviction which he showed in the subject and had the audacity to not only complete the movie, but release it as well in Pakistan and around the world to an astounding critical acclaim. Seldom has an artist dared to touch such tantalizing issues which are no less sensitive than a ticking bomb, and in societies such those of India/Pakistan, where self-acclaimed guardians of the religious/moral values are always on the prowl to harp on anything which displeases their hollow and chauvinistic ideologies (or lack thereof?), such heroics are all the more commendable.
The issues addressed were plenty – position and rights of women in a Muslim society, the conflicting views on the inclusion of arts and music in what is called Halaal in a Muslim society, fundamentalism being preached in the name of God, violence being retorted to belittle one’s enemies, the various codes of conducting oneself with regards to dressing and appearance as per Islam, etc. Apart from these, which would irk any average Muslim devout (as I’ve been witnessing in this case), there were other issues raised too – the ones which tried to show Muslims in a light, most non-Muslims fail to see. The misconceptions regarding them which westerners have had, particularly after the 9/11, the oppression which many had to undergo just because you have a surname similar to Khan or Ali, or simply because you are a Pakistani citizen, even today the situation is not so easy for Muslims around the world – these are the areas which the director interspersed fantastically well with his depiction of the more controversial. But unfortunately, people as always prefer to nitpick only matters which can generate more buzz and cause less good.
I won’t go into the details of the movie plot or what happened of the characters, partly because it is much more than a movie – an experience which one should see for himself to get aware of the facts, and partly because the finesse of the craftsmanship on view is beyond any words. Myself being a non-Muslim, I have been close to many a Muslim friends, peers and have been among people who hated Muslim-haters, was intrigued by seemingly strange characteristics of Islam, and of late had been critical (rather skeptical) of what most of us believe it preaches – was taken aback by the mind-numbing sequence of events as they unfolded during the movie.
It definitely was a food for thought for hardliner Muslims, fundamental Muslim-haters and moderates alike, as the legendary Naseeruddin Shah deposed in court to deliver about 10 minutes of what according to me should be made a compulsory read/listen not only for Muslims, but also for Hindus, Jews, Christians and all those who are still refuse to open their eyes and see what the reality is, rather prefer to mould the preachings of their sacred texts to satisfy their mythical traditions. For one, nothing that does not cause any harm to anyone, and further provides a way of life to many, can be classified as being blasphemous, whatever might be the interpretation by the people.
Obviously I’m no Islamic scholar and have no authority over their religious preachings, but surely I can sense that the beliefs which are said to be the WORD OF GOD have been misconstrued since centuries to falsify the only truth that is humanity. Ditto can be said of almost every religion, however, such intensity of fanaticism and unawareness is rarely witnessed among them.
If only such cinema can be dared to be made in more places and more frequently, and people actually be allowed to learn what they can and should, and not what they mustn’t construe of something which is not there in the fist place – we can have a better world to give to generations to come. Only after watching RDB was I so stunned that I deemed it much more than a movie. If it was something that made a generation awaken w.r.t India, then KKL is something which should make the world awaken w.r.t. religious fundamentalism.
Hats off to Shoaib Mansoor.
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