Adil Najam
(UPDATE: You can view this movie here).
Shaib Mansoor’s feature film Khuda Kay Liye: In The Name of God is to be released in Pakistan on July 20, 2007. There is great buzz about it; as there should be.
Regular readers know how much respect, even reverance, I have for Shoaib’s work. For me he is one of the single most talented Pakistanis I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
Indeed, one of the single most talented Pakistanis ever.
As we have written before, he may also be the single most under-rated Pakistani artist, since his contribution to TV music, to TV drama, to TV comedy, TV stage shows and to popular music remains unknown to many; too many.
I have not seen the movie myself yet and have been hearing about it from a number of people - including some directly involved - for quite some while. The promo clips are now available on YouTube and - no surprise - the quality of cinematography, of artistic composition, of music, of attention to detail all look great. Typical Shoaib Mansoor. Of course, how the whole package comes across remains to be seen. This is, of course, his first feature film but he is already a master of each of the genres in a movie and his long plays (like Alpha, Bravo, Charlie) must have trained him well for this.
To me, of course, the story is Shoaib Mansoor. For others, however, there are other draws. The cast includes Lollywood superstar Shaan, Bollywood maestro Naseeruddin Shah, Iman Ali (who is PTV’s Abid Ali’s daughter and was in Shoaib’s Anarkali music video), and other notables. But the real story here is the story. Or, rather, the topic of the story.
The film has a wonderful and wonderfully rich website, and according to the synopsis posted there:
The film is about the difficult situation in which the Pakistanis in particular and the Muslims in general are caught up since 9/11. There is a war going on between the Fundamentalists and the Liberal Muslims. This situation is creating a drift not only between the Western world and the Muslims, but also within the Muslims. The educated and modern Muslims are in a difficult situation because of their approach towards life and their western attire. They are criticized and harassed by the fundamentalists and on the other hand the Western world sees them as potential suspects of terrorism just because of their Muslim names. This paradox is resulting in great suffering for a forward looking Muslim.
This paradox of the divided society is, of course, a constant theme of ATP too. It is always a controversial subject here and will be much much more controversial for Khuda Kay Liye. It is, despite the controversy, a topic that we as a society have to confront. Thoughtfully and seriously. Since I have not seen the movie I cannot say how he has treated the subject, but based on his track record if there is anyone who has the ability to deal with this difficult issue sensitively and without turning things into slogans, it is Shoaib Mansoor. All the more reason to watch the movie and refrain from judging it in advance.
But there is another important angle to this too. GEO is promoting the movie as a ‘revival’ of Pakistan cinema. As a long time fan of Pakistani cinema, I certainly hope it is. Again, if anyone can do this, Shoaib Mansoor can.
I saw a post today in Metroblog Lahore that made me think that he just might. It was not about this movie, but about a new very modern movie house opening in Lahore. I have long believed that the reason Pakistani cinema declined is not just because of the movies, but also because of the state of movie houses. Well, this new theatre - the DHA Cinema - is quite something.
With tickets at Rs. 250 and Rs. 500 it may be pricy, but from the pictures at the site, it is clearly something that could attract a lot of people simply for the theatre experience. Interestingly, this theater also opens on July 20, and one of the movies it is opening with is Khuda Kay Liye. Coincidence? Probably not.
I must confess that I have been planning to write this post for nearly two weeks now. I had originally thought of calling it something like ‘The Other Lal Masjid Story’ simply because Abdul Rashid Ghazi had taken an interest in this movie. According to Daily Times (July 3, 2007):
Lal Masjid has demanded a ban on a yet-to-be released movie, Khuda Kay Liye, declaring it blasphemous… “The film is against Islamic norms and traditions and is being released on a private TV channel without prior approval from a censor board. We won’t allow this,â€? said Abdul Rashid Ghazi, the Lal Masjid deputy mullah, who did not mention his source of information about the movie. He said he would not object to the movie if ulema approved it. He demanded that the government form a board to review the film. “The government will be held responsible if the film is released without being censored,â€? he said.
I had not understood then, nor understand now, whether his source of objection was the subject matter, the fact that it has an Indian actor in it, or a statement of support for the Censor Board. I guess we will never really know. I do know, however, that it is bound to be controversial for same for at least two of those reasons. As for myself, I will reserve my judgement until after I see the movie. But anything from Shoaib Mansoor, and anything on this subject, I do want to see.
Faraz, atleast I am not here to convince someone else. If one gets convinced, SubhanAllah that ’s all I can say.
If I talk about myself,ATP is not the first public forum for me neither the last one. If I participate, the only reason is learning. To be honest I believe that Unless you don’t have opposition, you can’t learn new things or get curious. Fortunately I found a strong opposition on an apostate forum in past where I faced so many allegations and accusations about Islam that I had no answer thus a non-muslim movement made me to find out whether those people are true or Islam itself and Alhamdolillah Islam was right. So I personally feel that e-discussions could be useful for others and for the person who participates to learn new things. For Instance, on ATP I heard majority who said that Jinnah was a secular state and used to give reference of 11th August speech. When I searched myself then I found two clear speech what Jinnah wanted was NOT a secular state and it was all leftist propaganda in the name of Jinnah to spread their own message which I think is very lame and immature step.One should keep his khopri,eyes and ears open and try to analyze things on the basis of points which are put forward by different people on different forums.
Akif,usually I prefer to avoid you due to your hollow claims and strawman approach but your first extreme comment about Benoria and then praising Junaid Jamshed made me to reply you.
Just to inform you that what Junaid practise today is teaching of Benoria, tableeghis are mostly deobandis so is Junaid Jamshed. So either make correction yourself about Benoria or don’t praise Junaid because it’s like somebody praise about a student but curse his school which is a lame thing. In short, your point of view about Benoria is as fictitious as Bush’s about WMD in IRaq and Musharraf’s about suicide bombers in Hafsa school. You praised JJ it means you praised his teacher Tariq Jamil who was cursed by Shoaib Mansoor. So, better you decide what actually you want to say. :-)
Since so many times you demonstrated that you have no idea about Tableeghis or benoria, I can help you to find material which actually would help you to learn what is actually tableeghi jamat or their purpose. Your point of view might not be different than what JJ had before joining Tableegh which is natural, even my parents were scared and never allowed me to go out when these tableeghis used to visit my house. Infact I always stayed away from them. As JJ himself explained that when we are ill we don’t even like Biryani. So I was severely ill too and ran away from Good things and I am trying to recover myself. I am just like you, the only difference is that unlike you, I have determined to move forward and find truth, or say I am in state of transitition. I am aggressive by nature and I am sure only following religion in true sense could tone myself down otherwise all admitted their defeat.
So I hope for best for you. Come out of your drawing room and try to find truth about things. I think you are better than several yanks who made attempts to find truth after 9//11 and got guidance and become Muslim.
Guidance is only Allah’s hand even Muhammad(Saw) and other prophets were helpless because they were just messengers nothing else. If one could make someone a Muslim with force or magic then Allah wouldn’t have said in the starting of Surah As-Shoara(The poets):
It may be that thou tormentest thyself (O Muhammad) because they believe not.(Quran 26:1) .
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I assume you are a mature person, mature people don’t reject something without going thru it. I hadnot rejected qadyani sect unless I myself read their own books then I believed that yes people were right about them. Anyways, if you are serious to find out what actually is taught by them then I can help you otherwise you shouldn’t expect me to respond your all strawman replies in future. Even if you don’t trust me which is quiete natural and I don’t mind then you can search via natural source, ask Ibrahim whom you respect. There is no difference at all.
correction: I meant “Just live , LET live.”
Simple fact of life: We are all different. Each of us have our own intrepatation of what we see and hear. We find peace in different things. “Moderation” means different things to different people.
Having a debate is good, but sometimes I wonder what’s the point of arguing endlessly about such complex issues. Has anyone ever convinced another person on one of these posts? Just live, and live. And enjoy the movie, if you are planning to watch it.
Petitions have been filed by Jamia Banooria to ban the movie in Pakistan. I think it would be advisable to stay away from the movie theaters for a few days.
Adnan, I watched the Junaid Jamshed videos that you posted and frankly I’m impressed. I’m all for people to find for themselves what gives them peace and meaning and to preach it to other people and to share their experience with others. But his approach is not to force things upon others; his religion is one that’s personal and comes from a position of humility and not from a place of arrogance and disdain towards others.
@Ibrahim
You said “No, of course not. Taqwa is Allah-fearing, and Allah-fearing is doing the good (like praying, payins zakat, fasting, learning the deen, etc.)”
I want to understand your definition of Good.
Should we classify something as Good only if it is mentioned in the Holy book OR can things be good by their nature.
There are things which are universal and good for everyone and all religions agree on them. If someone is born in a Jewish family and brought up as a devout Jew and he does not harm other people, has all good Ethical value…. Still you will say he is not better than a Muslim… Because he is not doing GOOD as per your definition of the GOOD… Just step in his shoes and think !!! Just as your beliefs are dear to you, so are his beliefs dear to him.
It will be against the basic notion of justice that someone says one Religion is better than other.
The point I am trying to make is that people are trying to portray ISLAM as a Religion which is exclusive in nature, which it is not.
@Atif
Please read comments above - You have used the words “really believe” and “entirely true” - These deserve some debate. Does Real Belief in ISLAM demand of a MUSLIM to think of other Religions as lower in rank compared to Islam ?
btw shaan looks far better now than before.
he was really good in khamaj-fuzon’s music video.
@baber: LOL, that’s a mohawara ! and I was just kidding!
shukar hay tumne bacho ki tarha wo nahi kaha , Jo kehta hay wohi hoti hay :p