Adil Najam
The greatly trumpeted, fairly controversial, and mostly disappointing movie Jinnah was released in 1998 to even lesser acclaim than it deserved.
Despite all its flaws–especially its overly convoluted and philosophical plot which contributed much to its failure to excite ordinary non-Pakistani film-goers–it was thought-provoking rendition for Pakistanis: for those who liked the movie, and even more for those who did not.
It is sad that it ended up being seen by very few Pakistanis. The movie’s distribution was extremely sloppy, mostly due to the bickering between the principals of ‘The Quaid Project’. It played in Pakistan (in Urdu and in English) but very briefly and in very few theaters, and was never picked up for serious distribution abroad. Many who wanted to see the movie could not, simply because there was no place to see it at.
That has–belatedly–changed. Someone (it says Jamil Dehlavi) has recently placed the entire movie on video.google where it can be viewed if you have a reasonably fast Internet connection.
You can view it here by clicking on the image below, or go to video.google. The movie is just under 2 hours long, and in two parts.
For Part 2, click for rest of this entry.
very good.
Thanks for putting this here.
It is interesting for us Pkaistanis but really as a film not that good.
I wish someone will make a better movie on him soon.
we must be thankful to QUAID-E-AZAM that today we have pakistan,our independence and honor.many nations in the world still fighting for it.he was the great leader in the history of pakistan and india.he is the legend for all the time even in his lifetime.now our leaders must fullfill there promises what they made with the nation of pakistan.once BABA-E-QAUM said’if u ever make a promise,think a hunderd times,but once you make a promise,honor your promise.the government of pakistan should make a movie about QUAID and give the better prospective.i salaam to QUAID-E-AZAM,and may ALLAH bless him in heaven.
oh my God……..
great job!!!!!
it is awesome!!!!!
thanks……
it made me cry again though i watched a lil scene.
Thanks!!!
Umair,
The movie Gandhi was made in 1982 with a budget of 30 million dollars (1/3rd GOI funded) and the complete support of the Indian government which saw to it that the script had no objectivity and no controversial issues of Gandhi’s life were discussed. Infact, it had large tracts of fiction that never really happened.
The movie Jinnah was made in 1997 with a budget of little of 4 million Dollars and was faced with immediate bans and hinderances from the ideologically charged Pakistani government (their problem was that Jinnah in the movie as a tolerant and progressive man did not fit the state sponsored version)…
Furthermore despite poor cinematic quality, not only is Jinnah the movie more accurate, does not demonise Jinnah’s opponents like gandhi the movie did, but in the movie things do go wrong for the man…and the movie leaves a lot of room for dissent.
However… the movie left a lot to be desired and I think the definitive movie on Jinnah’s life is yet to be made.