Khuda Kay Liye: Will Shoaib Mansoor Be Able To Revive Pakistan Cinema?

Posted on July 17, 2007
Filed Under >Adil Najam, People, Society, TV, Movies & Theatre
211 Comments
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Film Poster for Khuda Kay LiyeAdil 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.


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KHUDA KE LIYE "IN THE NAME OF GOD Film Trailer
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KHUDA KAY LIYE (IN THE NAME OF GOD)
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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.

Khuda Kay Liye CastKhuda Kay Liye CastKhuda Kay Liye Cast
Khuda Kay Liye CastKhuda Kay Liye CastKhuda Kay Liye Cast

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.

KHUDA KE LIYE "IN THE NAME OF GOD Music Promo_02
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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.

DHA Cinema LahoreDHA Cinema Lahore

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.

KHUDA KE LIYE "IN THE NAME OF GOD Music Promo_01
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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):

Abdul Rashid GhaziLal 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.

211 responses to “Khuda Kay Liye: Will Shoaib Mansoor Be Able To Revive Pakistan Cinema?”

  1. nudma says:

    ASLAM-O-ALYKUM
    FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SHOAIB MANSOOR FOR GIVING PAKISTANI CINEMA SUCH A GOOD FILM .ITS REALLY APPRECIATING. THANKYOU SIR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    secondly one thing what i feel is why we specially pakistanis are in this state of misery becoze we only know to critisize things nothing else. i think nothing out of religion has shown by shoaib. islam is the most moderate religion whu you people forget that RASUL-E-KHUDA (PBUH) USED TO SAY ABU AYUB ANSARI to reads ayats in musical way and then HE used to weep coz that way influenced HIM much. and HAZRAT UMAR once allowed his friends to sing songs(that time their were regional and trible songs) on their return from a big deal in MAKKAH . today we people and specially ulamas have made this religion so ristrict that its really unpleasing .why these so called care takers`of ISLAM dont do suicide bombing in cinemas where indian movies are openly displayed ????????/why not in theatres where below moral value dances are done ????????why only soldiers are targeted , why innocent children are attacked, why only army camps are attacked and why that innocent lady BENAZIR BHUTTO is fired.
    may GOD bless us to live like MUSLIMS not like these extremist people.AMEN

  2. sudheershah says:

    hello, fellow citizens,
    i am an indian muslim and was presently surprised to see the film.I lked the way , it treated the subject. and after that i was going through all the texts and websites to know the truth about music……….as this issue had never been discussed in our faith in south india. i found that there are no harsh comments on music as haraam’ .If it wa such a thing to be banned that the holy uran could have definitely gone to use strong indiacations , against it. It just suggests that don’t take to music as a faith or get immersed in music alone….i just want to know more about this from those who read better and understand this better………..not from those who pretend to know better…………….

  3. Dr. Surendra Raja says:

    What a wonderful movie. Very very impressed at the storyline, the acting and the way the movie flows. BUT was very very disappointed at the too abrupt an end and that too without any warning. I was looking forward to the Islamic arguments in court by Maulana Wali (Nasruddin Shah) but was surprised at the next scene when she was leaving for America. I thought NS had a big role to play (or was it cut down) in the turning point. The court case was not completed.

    of course I have seen the DVD and not the movie in the theatre. If the original theatre version is the full story I will go to the cinema for a 3rd watching of KHUDA KE LIYE.

    Can anybody confirm if the cinema version is any better!

  4. Mina says:

    the movie KHUDA KAY LIYE is the biggest blockbuster. every Pakistani should b proud about having such an awosome movie from Pakistan. before seeing it i did know that its zaberdst movie but when i saw it i realized its more wonderful than one could even think.. its my appeal t everybody “do not listen to anybody just see this masterpiece yourself”

  5. Rafay Kashmiri says:

    Pomy Bahi,,

    @ App bilkul sahi farma rehay hein, ye aik mukamil
    Bakwas hay jo anti-islam hay. meinay 18 pakistanion
    ko convince kar lia hay. Aik petition Tayyar ho rehi hay,
    Sarey Europe say signature laain gay. Inshallah.

    Ye manhuss film Muslim Family mein fassad aur
    fitnah Phaila rehy hay, marhum Geo AAj bhi is ko
    support Karta hay.

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