Khuda Ke Liye (In the Name of God) - A Pakistani movie by Shoaib Mansoor

[PakPassionate]

3 days left Wohooooooo : ) ....will watch 1st day 1st show

 

[Hash]

I am very excited about this film.

It raises some serious and real issues. I hope it is an unprecedented and fantastic success.

 

[Kashif]

I hope this film is being shown in UK cinemas. Shoaib Mansoor is talent extraordinairre....lollywood has been laughed at for years. Shoaib's film will prove to be a turning point artistically for lollywood and spiritually from a religious perspective.

 

[batter]

Pirated copies of this movie will be out in the first week.

It is quite an easty thing to do so in pakistan

 

[from_da_lost_dim3nsion]

to be honest , the music isnt all that , i know that the lyrics are powerfull and alll but the singers could've done a much better job with such powerfull and deep lyrics, also i realized that the music in targetting towards punjabi speaking pakistanis i guess, coz i had to get this punjabi chick to transalate the songs 4 me, and i know atleats basic punjabi,there is only one song that is completely in udru !

 

[PakPassionate]

I'm going to buy advance tickets today & will watch the movie in PRINCE CINEMA.

 

[madaboutlfc]

Seems too professional for Pakistani standards but I hope the film fails big time just for the idiot's scathing attack on someone he calls a friend.

way to go loon..

 

[waqar_ahmad]

I hope they show it in the US coz i really wana see it. the trailer looks fantastic, very professionally done. i think shoaib mansoor has done it again.
the musci isnt that good though. One good point about the music is that it is not the traditional filmi music and is more pop. Bandeya ho is a good song, rest arent all that good. the lyrics are very good though.

 

[Hash]

I hear some mullah in Lahore has issued a writ to ban this film.

Keep barking.......we will not be silenced.

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

Adil Najim posted about KKL on his very popular blog ATP here: http://pakistaniat.com/2007/07/17/k...ib-mansoor-be-able-to-revive-pakistan-cinema/

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

I hear some mullah in Lahore has issued a writ to ban this film.

Keep barking.......we will not be silenced.

indeed. the mullahs can shove their writs where the sun don't shine.

 

[12thMan]

I hear some mullah in Lahore has issued a writ to ban this film.

Keep barking.......we will not be silenced.

I heard/read somwhere that Ghazi (Lal Masjid) had call for a ban and called the movie blasphemous. This was around July 3. Now if true he had seen the movie already somehow

 

[PakPassionate]

Mai ne 5 tickets liya hain (150 Rs per ticket) Saturday 6 to 9 k
wesay apas ki baat hai Prince cinema ka ticker counter wala buhat kamina tha......Nakhray kar raha tha k timmings khatam hogai hai.....phir jab tight kara us ko tu dia us ne ticket.

 

[Serendipity]

any news on UK premier/release?

 

[umerz]

on my way back from office to home.........cinema house was fully packed ppl were even standing on the streets..........

 

[Hash]

Film was released yesterday........anyone seen it yet?

I might go to the cinema in Saddar (Rawalpindi) and watch it.

 

[Disco_Lemonade]

chalo PakPasssionate give us your review dude?? how was the 'mahol' of Prince Cenima like?? seats etc and everything else.

 

[deviously~fading~away]

I heard on Geo that people r going to the cinema to watch the movie on Day 2 of it's release but some have to return home b/c the tickets are all sold out!

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

Mai ne 5 tickets liya hain (150 Rs per ticket) Saturday 6 to 9 k
wesay apas ki baat hai Prince cinema ka ticker counter wala buhat kamina tha......Nakhray kar raha tha k timmings khatam hogai hai.....phir jab tight kara us ko tu dia us ne ticket.

PakPassionate, if you've seen the movie, please post your impressions when you get the chance. thanks.

 

[PakPassionate]

Review of KKL

Assalamuelekum,

Aj mai apne 4 aur friends k sath Prince cinema movie daikhne gia......5 mins late poohchna traffic jam ki wajha say............raastay mai mera ek dost Faisal bhi sath tha aur wo keh raha tha Maat jaow movie daikhne ......is movie k khilaaf PAMPHLET diye ja rahy hain har jagha aur Jummay ki namaz k baad bhi diye gaye............aur us mai likha hai k Shoiab mansoor ne Allah aur islam k khilaaf movie banai hai...............Mai ne kaha koi baat nahi daikhlayty hain ho sakta hai aisa na ho................. The cheering began as soon as the credits started rolling. It just showed how much people wanted to see a film that is made by one of them, about them and for them. .......Khuda Kay Liye is all this and more.........Khair hum ne movie daikhi........i must say....i never saw any Pakistan movie like this 1.....................There were moments of magic in the film, lines that were said, scenes that were set up that touched the audience so much that they burst into spontaneous applause.............Its toooo goooooooood.........Must recommended for everyone.........Shoiab mansoor ka fan tu pehlay bhi tha........mager aaj mai maan gia k waqai SHOWMAN OF PAKISTAN hai.........Shaan Imaan Ali Fawad, Austin Marie .....Sab ki acting zaber10...........Naseeruddin shah ka chota character tha......mager buhat powerful.........but my favorite was Hameed Shaikh....... Aisa lag raha tha k har character ushi actor k liya bana hai.

The film had a brilliant script, unlike the usual dramatised dialogues in Pakistani films. This movie showed me that Pakistani cinema is still there! I would definitely come to a cinema to watch movies similar to this one. Khuda Kay Liye is infinitely superior in every way to standard Lollywood fare.

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

Assalamuelekum,

Aj mai apne 4 aur friends k sath Prince cinema movie daikhne gia......5 mins late poohchna traffic jam ki wajha say............raastay mai mera ek dost Faisal bhi sath tha aur wo keh raha tha Maat jaow movie daikhne ......is movie k khilaaf PAMPHLET diye ja rahy hain har jagha aur Jummay ki namaz k baad bhi diye gaye............aur us mai likha hai k Shoiab mansoor ne Allah aur islam k khilaaf movie banai hai...............Mai ne kaha koi baat nahi daikhlayty hain ho sakta hai aisa na ho................. The cheering began as soon as the credits started rolling. It just showed how much people wanted to see a film that is made by one of them, about them and for them. .......Khuda Kay Liye is all this and more.........Khair hum ne movie daikhi........i must say....i never saw any Pakistan movie like this 1.....................There were moments of magic in the film, lines that were said, scenes that were set up that touched the audience so much that they burst into spontaneous applause.............Its toooo goooooooood.........Must recommended for everyone.........Shoiab mansoor ka fan tu pehlay bhi tha........mager aaj mai maan gia k waqai SHOWMAN OF PAKISTAN hai.........Shaan Imaan Ali Fawad, Austin Marie .....Sab ki acting zaber10...........Naseeruddin shah ka chota character tha......mager buhat powerful.........but my favorite was Hameed Shaikh....... Aisa lag raha tha k har character ushi actor k liya bana hai.

The film had a brilliant script, unlike the usual dramatised dialogues in Pakistani films. This movie showed me that Pakistani cinema is still there! I would definitely come to a cinema to watch movies similar to this one. Khuda Kay Liye is infinitely superior in every way to standard Lollywood fare.

Wallaikumassalam PP,

you've just made my day. I can't stop smiling. thank you very much for going to see the film (despite the nonsense propaganda from jaahil mullahs) and supporting a good, educated, talented, patriotic man's effort to represent the mainstream of Pakistan.

Shoaib Mansoor Zindabaad. he is indeed the Shoman of Pakistan - a hero.

thank you again, PP. you're a star yourself.

 

[Disco_Lemonade]

thanks PakPassionate, sounds good. will probably go next week.

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

a review of KKL from the following link: http://karachi.metblogs.com/archives/2007/07/for_gods_sake.phtml

having just returned from the premiere of shoaib mansoor's new movie, khuda kay liye - something the alarmists were advising against, what with the security threats and all - i can safely say the public needn't worry about getting killed by suicide bombers blowing themselves up during the movie. the sight of the dirty premises might kill you though.

i hadn't been to a mainstream cinema in karachi for so long i'd almost forgotten why i stopped going. it came back to me suddenly though during the second scene when i heard the guy behind me clearing his throat and spitting the stuff he cleared his throat of somewhere. i don't think he used a spittoon. a fight broke out shortly after the intermission somewhere in the lower area when someone ejected the remnants of the paan he was chewing on someone else. another one almost broke out in the row before mine when someone fired up a cigarette and refused to put it out. and the hooters and catcallers were there in full force to add to the ambience. small wonder then that they keep it dark during the time you enter and try to find your seat. you might gross out when you realise you've stepped on something disgusting.

don't get me wrong though. despite the rotten ambience, the nutcases who leave their cellphones on so that you can hear their ringtones during the movie, the bigger nutcases who actually answer and talk during the movie, the broken down projector which keeps you squinting to make out some traces of colour and the lack of a good sound system - watching the movie means watching what is probably the best movie to come out of lollywood in the past thirty odd years if not the best ever.

i don't want to spoil the fun by writing about the plot but i will say this. this has all the "classic-ness" of any of shoaib mansoor's work. and the acting is way above par for something gracing our pitifully unfortunate cinema screens. all in all, great movie. go book your ticket now.

just be sure to wear a raincoat. its raining paan ki peek in there..

 

[mumtaz]

My family is going to see the movie in the brand new DHA cinema in Lahore after about 2 weeks. They are telling me its very very difficult to get the tickets now.

 

[Oxy]

So - is it on in the UK at all?

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

So - is it on in the UK at all?

I read somewhere (don't remember where) that someone spoke to Geo UK and they said that it will come out in October in UK.

the best way is to fire an email to Rehmat Fazli at rehmat.fazli@geo.tv to express your interest and ask him about the UK release. or call your local Geo office.

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

a glowing and comprehensive review of KKL.

it seems like as usual Shoman, the genius, has done everything he was expected to do. the man worked his magic on TV first and now he will hopefully change Pakistani films forever.

---------------------------------------------------

For God’s sake, watch this film

By Mohsin Sayeed

link: http://dawn.com/weekly/images/images2.htm

There couldn’t have been a better time in Pakistani cinema and society for Shoaib Mansoor’s much-awaited cinematic debut Khuda Ke Liye (In the Name of God) that premiered throughout Pakistan on July 20. I have never seen a Pakistani film that is so bold, fearless and yet marvelously balanced in tackling religion, exposing religious extremism and US necons’ hypocrisy, manipulation besides projecting the real, peaceful and loving values of Islam. In fact, correct me if I am wrong but such a film has never been made before. However clichéd it may sound, it is an absolute turning point in not only Pakistani cinema but our society as well.

Khuda Ke Liye (KKL) takes us back to the much-discussed and oft-quoted glory of Islam. Sarmad (Fawad Khan of the Lahore-based band EP) and Mansoor (Shaan) are two brothers living on a farmhouse, sailing through life with effortless ease on the wings of their musical band. But vice enters their peaceful world in the form of extremism when Sarmad, the younger brother, visits a religious hardliner and gets influenced by his convoluted, misinterpreted, Taliban-like version of Islamic teachings. While Mansoor remains happy-go-lucky, Sarmad becomes a target of confusion and inner conflict (and perfect prey for extremist elements) by shunning music, asking his mother to wear the hijab and eventually becoming a bearded, born-again Muslim.

The other track of storyline revolves around Maryam (Iman Ali) a British-born girl of Pakistani origin. Her father Hussain Shah cannot tolerate the fact that his daughter is dating a white boy (Dave) who is outside their faith despite spending his own life seeing Christian white women (one of whom lives with him out of wedlock). He disapproves of Maryam’s relationship and tries to stop her. In doing so, Hussain Shah is hypocrisy personified. He also hasn’t seen his family in over 30 years, and is nowhere near being a practicing Muslim but wants the opposite for his daughter. He tricks her into visiting Pakistan after discovering that Sarmad and Mansoor are his nephews.

In Pakistan, he pleads with his elder brother (Naeem Tahir) to save him and his daughter from the disgrace of a Christian son-in-law. His request is turned down by Shaan who has left for the Chicago Music School. It is then that he hatches an evil plan by appealing to the so-called Muslim honour of Sarmad who agrees to be a party to it.

Shaan had to be given some importance in the film. Therefore, he falls in love with a fellow musician at the college and romance blooms. After a brief argument over marriage citing cultural differences, he agrees to marry his gori girlfriend. Now the film takes a very interesting turn. In Pakistan, at the same time when Hussain Shah is acting out his plan, in the US, 9/11 happens. It is then that hardships for Maryam and Mansoor begin. The weak-spined Sarmad’s inner conflict that has been plaguing him begins surfacing in spurts as he is dragged to take part in jihad in Afghanistan.

When it comes to acting performances, Iman Ali and Fawad Khan steal the show from right under the experienced noses of every other actor, save Naseerddin Shah. Shaan simply pales in comparison. Iman Ali turns in a convincing performance as a girl brought up with western values but catapulted to the remote tribal areas of Pakistan. She successfully emotes through her eyes the feelings of anger, helplessness and occasional delight. In one scene where hope and disillusionment follow each other within a span of five minutes, her character shines like that of a seasoned actor. Subtle, strong and highly sensitive, she takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Fawad Khan’s character as a weak-willed Sarmad was also extremely difficult to portray but he manages to bring out his character’s inner conflict on to the screen with effortless ease. He gives a vibrant touch to the shades of grey of Sarmad’s persona. On the contrary, Shaan remains a prisoner of his own cinematic image… mediocre, loud and completely out of depth of his character. He becomes the weakest link in the film when he remains energetic and six-pack sculpted under severe torture by the US authorities.

The script of Khuda Kay Liye is splendid as it has many thought-provoking moments as well as glimpses of his subtle sense of humour. Shoaib Mansoor’s effort to bring out the contemporary issues that are gnawing at the foundations of both our religion and society is commendable. He shows that the only way to take on religious extremism is by the horns, as any effort to skirt around the issue will lead to futility

Shoaib Mansoor has handled the subject brilliantly. The script of KKL is splendid as it has many thought-provoking moments as well as glimpses of his subtle sense of humour. His effort to bring out the contemporary issues that are gnawing at the foundations of both our religion and society is commendable. As the writer, producer and director of the film, Shoaib Mansoor shows that that the only way to take on religious extremism is by the horns, as any effort to skirt around the issue will always lead to futility. He seems afraid of no one — be it the militant mullah or the confused people. He also dexterously handles multiple issues such as women’s rights, militant Islam, deliberate suppression of moderate Islam and its values of love and peace. Also, while he reveals the ignorance of the US neocon imperialistic agenda in a very balanced manner, nowhere does he lose sight of the goodness of the American people.

I would go to the extent of saying that this is the real jihad as he spreads awareness and enlightenment in the face of harsh opposition and ferocity. The script stuns the viewer with its well-researched content regarding Islam when Shoaib Mansoor quotes Prophet Mohammed’s (Peace be upon him) words in hadith books like Bukhari Sharif. And the choice of the actor to deliver this part couldn’t have been better. Naseeruddin Shah plays the moderate, enlightened Islamic scholar who steps out of his reclusive lifestyle to save a woman’s honour and life. No other actor could have delivered the highly sensitive (read explosive to the religious extreme) script. He is absolutely brilliant and effective.

Naseer’s script is laden with pearls of wisdom such as ‘Darhi mein mazhab nahin, mazhab mein darhi hai’. The way he leads the powerful arguments in favour of music by quoting that it was Hazrat Dawood’s miracle just as the rest of the three prophets had their own upon who the three holy books were bestowed.

Like any other intelligent piece of cinema, Mansoor uses the musical score of KKL to further the storyline. My favourite numbers are Neer Bharan picturised on Shaan and Sain Zahoor’s Allah. In fact, an intelligently composed and utilised background score also plays an actor’s role in any film. In a scene when Iman Ali tries to run away from her detention, the suspense-laden music leads viewers further towards the edge of their seats.I would not say the film does not have flaws. It does. First of all, the cinematic grandeur is found lacking. It’s been shot like a telefilm. But then in Mansoor’s defense, one could say that the era and generation he belongs to — PTV’s glorious plays — had a feel of much celebrated sub-continental art house, alternative cinema. And the two often overlapped in terms of stylistics, grammar and subjects.

The most glaring flaw in KKL is the lighting jump. It shows through when the director of photography changes from a desi to a ****. But again, here the issue is not Mansoor’s inability but severe lack of talent in Pakistan. Also it seems that he paid heavy attention to the character development of Naseer, Iman Ali and Fawad and overlooked the smaller ones like the boys’ parents (Naeem Tahir and Simi Raheal) and Iman’s father, Hussain Shah.

At times, Mansoor seems to have taken viewers’ understanding of the script for granted when the legitimate concern about Iman Ali’s missing status, Shaan’s detention in a US prison and Fawad’s absence is lacking on the parents’ part. However, the subject of the film and its beautiful handling by him is so engaging that such minor things almost go unnoticed.

Frankly speaking, I though I would never live to see the day when I could watch a film in Pakistan which openly and boldly takes on the rising religious extremism and mutilation of Islam. And the best thing about KKL is that it does not propagate greatness of Islam in a loud, boastful manner like Musa Khan — again a highly distorted piece of work. The final message of the film is love, truth and peace, and of course humility — the basic tenets of the religion. I only wonder how Junaid Jamshed and Ali Zafar will ever be able to live down the regret. By opting out of the film, the two lost an historic chance to be a part of a potential turning point in Pakistani cinema and society alike.

 

[the Great Khan]

my two cents:

I saw small shots of this film on TV without really knowing what it was about and was impressed that we have a proper Pakistani film finally..none of the rubbish that Lollywood churns out...now I havent seen the film so will reserve my judgment until said time..

However I am concerned that mr mansoor has once again fallen into the trap that many of our liberal "friends" fall into time and time again!...the trap that protrays all so called born again Muslims as confused desi's who are inevitable terrorists or Jihadi's as they call them...
The themesare consistent with the secular Tabqa's belief that a) anyone with a beard who use to be secular but now prays and follows the sunnat must be confused or downright dangerous, b) the silent majority is liberal and would love to join a band or indulge in many unadulterated carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam, c) The liberals are the protectors of the true message of Islam which only they know and know one else does!

FYI im a born again Muslim who rejected secularism after understanding what it means and what islam was really all about!!..I have a beard, pray five times aday, love cricket and the occasional movie, enjoy Chinese food and believes in the supremacy of Islam as a complete way of life bar none, rejects terrorism, honour killing, forced marriage and crappy Pak rock bands...maybe i should write a script and get a film made!!...lets focus on the real silent majority instead of wishy washy liberal BS that hold delusions of grandeur!!...(but I will watch this film and write a review on this forum)... I may not agree with many subjects in the film but I will support the endeavour so that we can get other young film makers who can give their own story's to Pakistan!...maybe even a pro Pakistan Islam film oneday!

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

here's a good article on KKL. I love point 10 - it's so great to see a good Pakistani film and no one apart from Shoaib Mansoor could have done it. he is the saviour that Pakistani films were waiting for. the man is a legend in his own lifetime.

also, I suggest all the mullahs, mullah wannabes and mullah sympathizers read point 8 and stop playing the victim card for once. yes, you don't have it as bad as you think you do. and you're not always the victim that you think you are.

---------------------------------------------

10 reasons to watch Khuda Kay Liye

link: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jul2007-weekly/nos-22-07-2007/instep/mainissue.htm

Superlatives are not enough to describe this film and neither can a deconstruction of the plot suffice. Instep is still so blown away by Khuda Kay Liye that all we have for you are reasons why this film cannot be missed.

By Muniba Kamal

1) Shoaib Mansoor's first feature film

Shoaib Mansoor is a living legend in Pakistan. The creator of television like Alpha Bravo Charlie, Fifty Fifty and Guys and Gulls, he also directed the classic Ankahi. Beyond that he was the godfather of Vital Signs, to date, Pakistan's most successful pop band. He directed Music 89, the groundbreaking show that got banned, but not before it launched the career of a young singer called Ali Azmat. And who could forget the Supreme Ishq videos? 'Teray Ishq Nachaya' and 'Anarkali' still reverberate in memory. Shoaib Mansoor has historically had his fingers on the pulse of the nation and 35 mm just gives him a bigger canvas to play on than he has ever had before.

2) Shaan is not a gujjar badmash for once!

Shaan plays a clean shaven pop musician in the film as opposed to a gandasa wielding village bumpkin. He puts in a poignant performance as Mansoor who loses his brother to mullahs and then his freedom to the US after the planes crash into the World Trade Center. And the fact that he's so good looking makes it believable when Janie (Austin Marie Sayre) falls in love with him while they're at music school in Chicago.

3) Iman makes her big screen debut

Iman Ali makes her film debut with Khuda Kay Liye and it is as far away from Anarkali as you can get! Female roles in Pakistani cinema are famous for being regressive. All thinking women feel disgust when they see the stereotypical portrayal of women as whimpering seductresses cum damsels in distress in Lollywood. Iman Ali's plays Mary, who faces the worst circumstance - being forcibly married off to a conservative Sarmad in Afghanistan after being born and brought up in London - with guts and a steely determination. Mary is the 21st century Pakistani woman. She has a mind of her own and acts accordingly and yes no actress has ever looked this good in a shuttlecock burqa!

4) Fawad Khan rocks in the film

All you EP fans out there - you have to check his performance out. The meatiest role in the film goes to Fawad Khan. From pop musician to mullah to jihadi and then back to moderate, Fawad's story is actually the throbbing heart of Khuda Kay Liye around which the rest of the film pivots. His good looks make his transition from musician to mullah very poignant. Moreover, Fawad has the intensity that carries this character through. Thank God, Ali Zafar said no this movie. This role fits Fawad like a glove.

5) Naseeruddin Shah's court room scene

Actor extraordinaire did not charge Shoaib Mansoor a single penny for the film and when you hear the dialogues he delivers in a court room scene, you will figure out why. That scene will make your hair stand on end and your soul brim over. Called in by the court as a religious expert to elucidate on what Islam says about forced marriage, music and jihad, the soliloquy he delivers as a thinking religious scholar puts Islam in a new perspective. It is a passionate speech, but one that employs the faculties of logic and reasoning even as it refers to Muslim history and Islamic traditions. This should go down in Pakistan's film history as the finest dialogue ever penned. Shoaib Mansoor's great challenge as a script writer now will be to top this in terms of impact.

6) The clash of ideologies

Shoaib Mansoor's uses the three characters of Mansoor, Mary and Sarmad to stunning effect by intertwining their stories. Mansoor and Sarmad are brothers happily making music in Lahore and Mary is their cousin British born cousin blissfully in love with an Englishman called David. Their lives are changed when Sarmad starts going to a mosque and discussing Islam with a maulvi who insists that music is haram. Simultaneously, Mary's father who is a Pakistani Muslim brings her over to Pakistani so that she does not follow the wayward path (he lives out of wedlock with a British lady) that he has. Mary is married off to Sarmad in Afghanistan and as she tries to escape, he goes to fight Jihad. And while Sarmad is doing that, Mansoor has been detained in America and is being questioned for links with Al Qaeda. 9/11 has happened and the world has changed. Khuda Kay Liye is a definitive account of how it changed Pakistan. And Shoaib Mansoor does this by telling three stories of Muslims, each with their own perspective of religion and its role in their life. It shows the soul searching that started in the Muslim World after 9/11 from a uniquely Pakistani perspective.

7) Khuda Kay Liye is our story

A far cry from the escapism that has historically plagued Pakistani cinema and which is endemic to Indian cinema as well, Khuda Kay Liye is rooted in reality. Mansoor and Sarmad are pop stars; there is a thriving pop industry here. Mary is brought to Pakistan and forcibly married; there are plenty of newspaper headlines that tell of similar cases. Sarmad is radicalized by religious zealots and goes to Afghanistan; again there have been umpteen cases of that happening in Pakistan. Masoor is unjustly detained in the States after 9/11 and is tortured; that is precisely what happened in the US with so many Pakistanis and Muslims. Khuda Kay Liye is a searing tale of what has been happening to Pakistanis since 2001.

8) Khuda Kay Liye is pluralistic

The danger of telling a story like Khuda Kay Liye is that the film could have been used as a platform to bash mullah culture (which is the easiest thing to do these days). It could have been used to show liberals as good and religious conservatives as bad. Shoaib Mansoor's script masterfully steers clear of that and he does it by using a very simple technique. He's just followed the story from his heart and let each character express his or her unique logic. The result is a narrative that grips you because there are no heroes or villains. Every character comes with their own baggage, including the maulanas. Khuda Kay Liye shows the radical fringe and then it shows the ones who favour introspection over retaliation. Both co-exist in Khuda Kay Liye, just as they do in our society.

9) The music and the magic

Shoaib Mansoor is as much of a musician as he is a filmmaker and he surpasses himself with both as he blends the soundtrack of Khuda Kay Liye into the visuals. Two of the most memorable instances are when Shaan presents eastern classical music to his class in Chicago and one by one they all join in with their instruments. The 'Jana Mana Gana' scene from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham pales in comparison. 'Tiluk Kamod' makes one realize the power of the music of this land, even as the song just becomes a part of narrative signifying how music can break all boundaries. The picturisation shows how via this language of notes and chords and sur and tal, people from different races who speak different languages can flow as one.

In a different vein, the remix of Saaen Zahoor's 'Allah Hoo' is used to chilling affect in the film. When Mary flees the Afghan village to escape her forced marriage, the techno strain of "Allah… Allah… Allah… Allah" fills the cinema hall. Ditto when Fawad goes for jihad in Afghanistan and sees Muslim fighting Muslim, the same song is used. The remixed Sufi song that still reverberates in memory drives home the gravity of the situation in Khuda Kay Liye, even as it reminds you that this is everything that happening to your kind. And that you, like everyone else are a part of it.

10) Khuda Kay Liye is not Indian at all

It was delightful to sit in a cinema hall and watch an indigenously Pakistani film that borrows nothing from Bollywood. Khuda Kay Liye makes you realize how crass and over the top Bollywood is with its restrained, subtle narration, which is peppered with the most hard-hitting punch lines. Khuda Kay Liye wins your heart because it speaks to your head. Mainstream Bollywood plays a different game - it dazzles your eyes with colour, makes your feet tap with music, causes your heart to palpitate with melodrama and fills your brain with the implausible cotton candy of fairy tales. As much as one is addicted to Bollywood films, one is glad that a Pakistani director has made a film that has such a distinctly Pakistani voice.

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

However I am concerned that mr mansoor has once again fallen into the trap that many of our liberal "friends" fall into time and time again!...the trap that protrays all so called born again Muslims as confused desi's who are inevitable terrorists or Jihadi's as they call them...
The themesare consistent with the secular Tabqa's belief that a) anyone with a beard who use to be secular but now prays and follows the sunnat must be confused or downright dangerous, b) the silent majority is liberal and would love to join a band or indulge in many unadulterated carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam, c) The liberals are the protectors of the true message of Islam which only they know and know one else does!

have you seen the film? don't you think you should watch the film before making all these proclamations? or at the very least do some research on the movie before making these assertions?

also, there is a MASSIVE difference between joining a band/painting/composing music and "unadultered carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam". if they're the same, then eating Chinese food and watching the occasional movie are also "unadultered carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam". I'm pretty sure that eating Chinese food is a bida't and hence, haram. if you didn't already know that, I'm telling you now.

it is disappointing that despite having seen Shoaib Mansoor's work and knowing that he is a fiercely patriotic person and is known to be quite spiritual (in his own way) that as soon as he decided to tackle an Islam-related issue, even those who've seen his work are ready to issue their fatwas despite his track record.

lastly, I don't think that Shoaib Mansoor would ever do anything that was anti-Islamic, but even if he did, as long as it was pro-Pakistani and was artistically well made, I would support it 200%. I've been told that I'm doomed as it is so why not go out with a bang. Inshallah.

 

[suhaib]

i did see the film on friday, after waiting about 2 years for it and i must say it meets all expectations and is one of the greatest films ive ever seen, but alot of the portions are in english and it looks like shoaib monsoor has made this not just for pakistan but to internationaly clean up islams image, hopefully it could get a release in uk/usa and it should surly win an oscur for best foriegn film. it sends out a very good message and it shows that alot of things in islam are made up by the mullahs.
bits of the story does seem to be inspired by shomans life, with shaan and fawad playing shoman and junaid jamshed in the first half.
the film on a whole is very griping and keeps you glued to the screen.

unfortunatly the mullahs are coming after this film is well, and are spreading lies about the film being against islam, but still the film is running to packed houses everywhere, people had even broken windows at gulistan cos they couldnt get tickets.

 

[shahzad_1]

Who have seen Kuda Key Leay(In The Name of God) Pak Movie?

For those of us, who haven't seen it yet.
Movie Homepage

Heard it's a good movie. Hope it will arrive in USA.

 

[PakPassionate]

Please check this thread for comments

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=42646&page=10&pp=10

 

[PakPassionate]

here's a good article on KKL. I love point 10 - it's so great to see a good Pakistani film and no one apart from Shoaib Mansoor could have done it. he is the saviour that Pakistani films were waiting for. the man is a legend in his own lifetime.

also, I suggest all the mullahs, mullah wannabes and mullah sympathizers read point 8 and stop playing the victim card for once. yes, you don't have it as bad as you think you do. and you're not always the victim that you think you are.

---------------------------------------------

10 reasons to watch Khuda Kay Liye

link: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jul2007-weekly/nos-22-07-2007/instep/mainissue.htm

^^^^ True.....

 

[suhaib]

its also making news in india
-----------------------------------
Naseeruddin starrer 'Khuda Kay Liye' opens to packed houses in Lahore
Posted on 21 July 2007 (EST)
Bollywood actor Naseer-ud-Din Shah starrer ‘Khuda Kay Liye” opened to packed houses in cinema halls across Lahore on Friday.


Email this page


Naseeruddin Shah in a still from Khuda Kay Liye. Photo Credit: Geo Films
Lahore, July 21 (ANI): Bollywood actor Naseer-ud-Din Shah starrer ‘Khuda Kay Liye” opened to packed houses in cinema halls across Lahore on Friday.

According to the Daily Times, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Cinema was completely booked in advance.

Movie buffs said the film depicted Islam in a soft, lenient manner, and was a great entertainment package for the entire family.

Omar and Shahrukh said the movie had a brilliant script, unlike the usual Pakistani dramatized dialogues.

Maryam said the movie had been released at an appropriate time, as society is in need of moderate religious ideas.

On Thursday, the screening of the movie was challenged in the Lahore High Court over allegations that it was promoting anti-Islamic values.

The film, starring Shah, Shaan, Iman Ali and Fawad Khan, is a Geo Films’ project, and aimed at reviving Pakistan's ailing film industry.

The film is about two brothers who are pop musicians in Lahore, one of whom gets radicalized under the influence of extremists, while the other goes to America and gets unlawfully detained after 9/11. It is the story of Mary (Maryam), a British girl of Pakistani origin, who is brought to Pakistan by her father and married off against her will. (ANI)

Talk back: Email your opinion on the subject for publication here

http://news.sawf.org/Bollywood/40306.aspx

 

[jusarrived]

any chance this will be released in india ? I have never watched a pakistani movie or even a drama ........!

 

[shahzad_1]

Does Anybody know, if this would arrive in USA?

 

[suhaib]

releases in india/uk/usa in september

 

[deviously~fading~away]

releases in india/uk/usa in september

Any idea about Dubai?

 

[the Great Khan]

have you seen the film? don't you think you should watch the film before making all these proclamations? or at the very least do some research on the movie before making these assertions?

also, there is a MASSIVE difference between joining a band/painting/composing music and "unadultered carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam". if they're the same, then eating Chinese food and watching the occasional movie are also "unadultered carnal pleasures without the guilt of Islam". I'm pretty sure that eating Chinese food is a bida't and hence, haram. if you didn't already know that, I'm telling you now.

it is disappointing that despite having seen Shoaib Mansoor's work and knowing that he is a fiercely patriotic person and is known to be quite spiritual (in his own way) that as soon as he decided to tackle an Islam-related issue, even those who've seen his work are ready to issue their fatwas despite his track record.

lastly, I don't think that Shoaib Mansoor would ever do anything that was anti-Islamic, but even if he did, as long as it was pro-Pakistani and was artistically well made, I would support it 200%. I've been told that I'm doomed as it is so why not go out with a bang. Inshallah.

if you bothered to read my post i made it perfectly clear that im going on the reviews ive read on this website and will give final judgement on the film once ive seen it..im perfectly entitled to have an opinion for or against this Movie and resent the constant jibes, labelling and false accusations that you seem to be making, just because not everyone may agree that this film is the best film since sliced bread!!...

im tired of being called either a mullah or mullah wannabe or someone who plays the victim and all that neocon secular crap that is constantly thrown about..get over yourself...are you so threatened by people who have seen secularism and rejected it?

as for mr mansoor well i have alpha bravo on dvd so i know what he is capable of...and im glad this film is being made even though i may ultimatley not agree with some of it...

 

[the Great Khan]

just read the synopsis on the website: so theres a war going on between fundammentalist muslims and liberal muslims?? really? so can someone define what a fundamentalist Muslim and a liberal Muslim is? what a gross generalisation!....and the english was terrible!...

 

[Asim2Good]

any chance this will be released in india ? I have never watched a pakistani movie or even a drama ........!

not sure if it will be released in India.
but u can serch "Alpha Bravo Charlie" on youtube, one of famous Paksitani drama from same director. It's Paksitan army drama, but u will enjoy it too.

or u can see below music video of this director.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a39X6OQgfEk

 

[pakistani_banda]

releases in india/uk/usa in september

i heard the movie is baned in india, cos they think that it hurts the muslim's sentiments.

 

[Hash]

just read the synopsis on the website: so theres a war going on between fundammentalist muslims and liberal muslims?? really? so can someone define what a fundamentalist Muslim and a liberal Muslim is? what a gross generalisation!....and the english was terrible!...

fundamentalist is probably the wrong word......but it is obviously referring to the 'Muslims' who follow the Taliban and fascistic version of Islam that we see in many parts of the Arab world and which is growing in popularity in the NWFP and in pockets of other parts of Pakistan.

 

[the Great Khan]

fundamentalist is probably the wrong word......but it is obviously referring to the 'Muslims' who follow the Taliban and fascistic version of Islam that we see in many parts of the Arab world and which is growing in popularity in the NWFP and in pockets of other parts of Pakistan.

youre right Hash but the wording is all wrong and really just renforces stereo types...I dont think its as clear cut to say we are in a war between liberal and fundo Muslims because thats just not true....the problem is the centrists(like me) dont have any representation in Pakistan anymore...we are the one's caught between the very liberal and very extreme!maybe they should do a film about those caught in the middle...i get the feeling (and i could be totally wrong since i havent seen the film yet) that this will be another "oh look at those fundo's with their beards bla blah , oh poor liberal Muslims who love western ideas and are opressed by the barbarians from the 6th century etc etc etc"....


but like i said before i may not like the premise but this film could usher in a new dawn for our film industry and can help portray us in a better light...although truthful depictions of life would also help...lets hope some young film makers who understand the problems of being a centrist in todays world will come to the fore!

 

[Hash]

I don't think the film reinforces stereotypes at all. That is the problem with us.......whenever someone highlights the real issues and negative aspects of our societies, people immediately try to silence them and criticise them by saying 'they are reinforcing stereotypes'.

These are not stereotypes because these issues are REAL issues and do exist in Pakistan and the rest of the Muslim world.

I don't know about you Khan Saab but even the centrists in Pakistan have sympathies towards the Taliban.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

I don't think the film reinforces stereotypes at all. That is the problem with us.......whenever someone highlights the real issues and negative aspects of our societies, people immediately try to silence them and criticise them by saying 'they are reinforcing stereotypes'.

These are not stereotypes because these issues are REAL issues and do exist in Pakistan and the rest of the Muslim world.

I don't know about you Khan Saab but even the centrists in Pakistan have sympathies towards the Taliban.

well then they are not centrist

I much like TGK have concerns regarding this film, its as if anyone that has a beard and is religious gets called a 'mullah' and is branded a fundo BUT i will definately watch this film when it is out in the UK or atleast buy the DVD cos i do feel we should support the Pak film industry - if this film succeeds (which hopefully it will) it will then give opportunities to other individuals to tell their stories

 

[the Great Khan]

well then they are not centrist

I much like TGK have concerns regarding this film, its as if anyone that has a beard and is religious gets called a 'mullah' and is branded a fundo BUT i will definately watch this film when it is out in the UK or atleast buy the DVD cos i do feel we should support the Pak film industry - if this film succeeds (which hopefully it will) it will then give opportunities to other individuals to tell their stories

thanks you geordie...yes i agree...ill check out the film because we need to counter the indianisation of our culture and this maybe one way...having sympathies in the geopolitical sense is different than actually following the taliban in everyway...i believe they are a neccessary evil to support in afghanistan, and they can be dealt with quite easily at home... people in pakistan are fed up of being treated like fundo's because they go to the masjid..the majority doesnt string a guitar and do naach gana!...they make a living , pray and are God fearing...shoving secular tripe down their throats and then calling em terrorists when they object is waht the real problem is...I believe in the middle balanced path as instructed by the Messenger of Islam PBUH...we should all strive for this!!

 

[suhaib]

i heard the movie is baned in india, cos they think that it hurts the muslim's sentiments.

that was rubbish being spread around by some molvis to get this film banned in pakistan,
you really think india would care about the muslims sentiments.

 

[Hash]

well then they are not centrist

I much like TGK have concerns regarding this film, its as if anyone that has a beard and is religious gets called a 'mullah' and is branded a fundo BUT i will definately watch this film when it is out in the UK or atleast buy the DVD cos i do feel we should support the Pak film industry - if this film succeeds (which hopefully it will) it will then give opportunities to other individuals to tell their stories

Actually Naseeruddin Shah plays a bearded Mullah in this film and his character in no way 'reinforces stereotypes'.......quite the opposite in fact. Just watch the film.

 

[Asim2Good]

so how is movie doing at moment after week or so ?

here is title song of movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDj2JiSU7oI

just luv this song

 

[Hash]

so how is movie doing at moment after week or so ?

here is title song of movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDj2JiSU7oI

just luv this song

It is advance bookings in every cinema and they are selling out over and over and over again!

 

[Waseem]

that was rubbish being spread around by some molvis to get this film banned in pakistan,
you really think india would care about the muslims sentiments.

That's what i was gonna say.

 

[Waseem]

Good to know that it's doing really well, there are so many reasons why it should do well and i hope it continues in the cinemas for long time.

 

[waqar_ahmad]

It is advance bookings in every cinema and they are selling out over and over and over again!

good to hear. i hope it makes a lot of money in pakistan and abroad

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

YLH's review of KKL. those who read chowk, ATP, etc would know that he is a prolific contributor on these sites.

-------------------------------

Movie Review: Shoaib Mansoor’s ‘Khuda ke liye’

link: http://pakistaniat.com/2007/07/31/pakistan-film-movie-review-shoaib-mansoor-khuda-ke-liye/

Yasser Latif Hamdani

We had a preview of the movie Khuda Ke Liye at ATP where we had posed a question whether Shoaib Mansoor will be able to revive Pakistan cinema? A probable answer comes from myself who recently got chance to see this movie. The record breaking Pakistani film Khuda Ke Liye has become my favorite film overnight- Hollywood inclusive. Or more accurately I should say, that there hasn’t been a film in the past that has moved and affected me in this way.

Given the standing ovation the film is getting in theatres all over Pakistan from rich and poor alike, one can safely say that I am not the only one. For one thing it is a uniquely Pakistani story, which could have only come out of Pakistan. To sum it up, it is about us - the people of Pakistan warts and all- take it or leave it.

The genius of Shoaib Mansoor was never in doubt for those who have seen his videos or for that matter the famous Alpha Bravo Charlie - the TV Drama on Pakistan Army. What I was unprepared for was the depth in his thought and the way he has managed to capture the Pakistani dilemma on screen. Ours is a complex and rich predicament which needs to be captured in all its nuances and appreciated in all its paradoxical colors. KKL did just that.

I went to the theatre expecting to see the same old liberal v. fundo arguments. There were those, but unlike how these arguments play out in “The Friday Times” and the “Nawai Waqt“, this remarkable film is fully conscious of its Pakistani identity and the strong Islamic component that forms part thereof.

At the risk of spoiling it for those who haven’t seen it, this is the story of two brothers, Mansoor (played by Shaan) and Sarmad (played by theatre actor/musician Fawad of EP fame) both musicians, brought in a well to do Pakistani family. Mansoor and Sarmad are torn apart by the latter’s increased involvement with a certain Maulana Taheri (based most probably on Maulana Sami ul Haq of JUI-S component of the MMA), who turns the soft spoken Sarmad into full fledge Jehadi.

Things are complicated when the brothers’ cousin Mary arrives from London to spend a few days with them, only to discover that she has been tricked by her father into coming to Pakistan to avoid her marrying her Non-Muslim boyfriend Dave. Meanwhile Mansoor leaves for Chicago to enrol at the “School of Music” there. In an epic that switches from London to Lahore to Waziristan to Nangahar Afghanistan to Chicago, these ordinary Pakistanis are increasingly faced with both internal and external conflict. And then there is September 11.

Shoaib Mansoor does not miss a beat, he does not leave any stones unturned. While all characters have more or less the same significance in this plot, it is Mansoor who is at the centre of it: Mansoor who is a proud Pakistani and secure in his Muslim identity, Mansoor who warns Sarmad against extremism, Mansoor who puts the best Muslim and Pakistani foot forward, Mansoor who is abducted by FBI in the middle of the night and beaten and tortured to a pulp, humiliated and abused for being a Pakistani and a Muslim. He is the contrast to Sher Shah and Maulana Taheri. But there are contrasts on the other side as well… Jenny who loves Mansoor for being Mansoor, his classmates who spontaneously join in when Mansoor performs his “music from Pakistan”, his African American professor… all stand in contrast to the American torturers of Mansoor.

The dialogue reaches a fever pitch in a court room in Lahore, where Mary is engaged in a prolonged legal battle. Enter the Bollywood star Naseeruddin Shah. He plays the character of a long bearded progressive Islamic scholar (probably based on Maulana Ahmed Javed and Allama Javed Ahmed Ghamidi of Lahore). In what would be the localised version of “Inherit the wind” Courtroom drama, he engages Maulana Taheri and his coterie in an argument on Islamic law and Islamic dress code.

“There is beard in religion, but no religion in beard,” declares Shah, adding that “Two men who did the greatest service to Islam in Pakistan, Mahomed Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal, did so without a beard and out of the so called Islamic dresscode, in western dress.”

It was on this line that the entire hall filled with applause. Islam - the universal faith - has no uniform. This lays the stage for the final scene- the most poignant scene of the movie, filmed in Lahore’s beautiful Wazir Khan Mosque- the scene which once again made a Muslim out of me. I’ll let you watch it yourself to understand what I am talking about.

As for the film itself, there seem to be a few techical glitches earlier on but they are easily forgotten. Iman Ali’s performance as Mary or Maryam in the beginning is annoying and one finds her concocted British accent a little annoying at first. However it grows on you and one discovers the fullness of her effort- which is by far the best I have come across by a Pakistani actress. As for the music, those of you who have only heard Bandaya, you are in for a surprise. The film is as a whole an incredible musical experience. What is more is that you discover how aptly Shoaib Mansoor has placed his music in the various scenes. Indeed, driving back from Lahore on the motorway, I could recount/recollect every scene just by listening to the soundtrack.

This is a movie no Pakistani can afford to miss.

 

[Cric-PhotoPassionate]

Very informative review and I would love to buy DVD.

Anyone know when this movie is coming to UK?

Thanks

 

[entralinks]

Quite a distasteful title song and the rest might well be the same.

Films will never be taken seriously as long as actors are singing poor songs and that too with proper voice and music in open deserts. Just get rid of the songs. Put that effort into making good tunes. Tunes such as from Godfather, LOTR, Last Of The Mohicans, Exorcist, Terminator, Angels In America, legendary award winning tunes are remembered and do for the film what 100 songs cannot. I had hoped SM will not be compelled to add songs in the film just because it is the tradition. It would be fine if a song was written out of inspiration, but especially sitting down and starting thinking of a song just to fill the space in the film is foolish.

 

[J-Essence]

what do you expect from a man who's first profession was music?

Quite a distasteful title song and the rest might well be the same.

Films will never be taken seriously as long as actors are singing poor songs and that too with proper voice and music in open deserts. Just get rid of the songs. Put that effort into making good tunes. Tunes such as from Godfather, LOTR, Last Of The Mohicans, Exorcist, Terminator, Angels In America, legendary award winning tunes are remembered and do for the film what 100 songs cannot. I had hoped SM will not be compelled to add songs in the film just because it is the tradition. It would be fine if a song was written out of inspiration, but especially sitting down and starting thinking of a song just to fill the space in the film is foolish.

 

[Joseph K.]

what do you expect from a man who's first profession was music?

TG Khan saab and J Essence lala, I think Shoaib has always been more into drama then music. He can be called the father of the genre called 'music video' in Pakistan but his primary occupation has always been drama.

 

[the Great Khan]

like i said that review has me wanting to watch this film more and more...I obviously still have my reservations but we need films like this to help promote our country,...thoughtful and deep rather than frivolous and stupid(lollywood,bollywood)...lets hope we have a few more..maybe a war drama..nothing gets the juices flowing than a good war movie..lol..

 

[batter]

Extremely poor movie and a total failure in every respect.

I expected something better than this ghis pitta subject from shoaib.

iman ali as usual looked horrible in the movie. Why the need to cast such a kali kaloti , sokhi sarri ladki in the movie ?

 

[Hash]

Brilliant film........the title song has a great meaning.

Shoaib Mansoor Zindabaad!

 

[Hash]

Extremely poor movie and a total failure in every respect.

I expected something better than this ghis pitta subject from shoaib.

iman ali as usual looked horrible in the movie. Why the need to cast such a kali kaloti , sokhi sarri ladki in the movie ?

Every respect apart from the fact that it is selling out over and over again in every city and everyone who has seen it has raved about it and given it fantastic reviews.

 

[suhaib]

Quite a distasteful title song and the rest might well be the same.

Films will never be taken seriously as long as actors are singing poor songs and that too with proper voice and music in open deserts. Just get rid of the songs. Put that effort into making good tunes. Tunes such as from Godfather, LOTR, Last Of The Mohicans, Exorcist, Terminator, Angels In America, legendary award winning tunes are remembered and do for the film what 100 songs cannot. I had hoped SM will not be compelled to add songs in the film just because it is the tradition. It would be fine if a song was written out of inspiration, but especially sitting down and starting thinking of a song just to fill the space in the film is foolish.

have you even seen the film?

a few songs on the album arnt even in the film and the ones that are go in with the script, not pushed in like bollywood stuff.

you need to look at the story, the film is based on 2 musicians.

 

[suhaib]

Extremely poor movie and a total failure in every respect.

I expected something better than this ghis pitta subject from shoaib.

iman ali as usual looked horrible in the movie. Why the need to cast such a kali kaloti , sokhi sarri ladki in the movie ?

so finaly, ive met someone that didnt like the film.

 

[Hash]

so finaly, ive met someone that didnt like the film.

I wonder if he has even seen it.

 

[Waseem]

Extremely poor movie and a total failure in every respect.

I expected something better than this ghis pitta subject from shoaib.

iman ali as usual looked horrible in the movie. Why the need to cast such a kali kaloti , sokhi sarri ladki in the movie ?

Totally agree, there are no romantic scenes, no love triangles, i mean why even bother making a film without ISHQ, MUHABBAT, bewafai etc. On top of that, it's a Pakistani movie and there is no Saima or Anjuman jumping up and down in cotton fields what a shameful effort by Shoaib Mansoor .

 

[suhaib]

cinemascope

Khuda Kay Liye pulls crowds to theatre in Pindi

Security threats not an issue for the audience
Maria Tirmizi

Islamabad

It took its time but the film has finally reached Rawalpindi.

Khuda Kay Liye, released throughout the country on July 20 arrived in Rawalpindi's PAF Cinema on Friday, July 27.

The film pulls you towards the big screen, thanks to Shoaib Mansoor's credentials and the many star laden accolades it has received. Yet, you can't deny that you go with certain misgivings. The foremost: what's the security like at the cinema?

But what was intriguing to observe was that despite the bombs going off around the city and a film like Khuda Kay Liye incurring the wrath of a certain segment of people quite active in the capital, you still could not stop people from going to the cinema to watch a film that promises to be the revival of our film industry.

So it was hardly a surprise that the cinema was packed to capacity. While a thin little man did a quick body search with his bare hands on the long queue of people outside, far from reassuring, it made you think uneasily, "This better be a good film if I'm about to lose a limb or two."

PAF cinema is not bad at all. Its airconditioners, which weren't even turned on for Aishwarya's Bride and Prejudice, were put on full mode for this film, creating a comfortable environment. Families and young girls sat on one side of the gallery; wolf-whistlers on the other. It seemed like the film had already fulfilled its promise of reviving the movie-going culture when people were seen catching up with old schoolmates and family friends they had bumped into, for the first time, at a cinema.

Barely had the film started that applause broke loose, with whistling and some inappropriate hooting. It's not their fault, one thinks. Our many majajans have nurtured that culture. So one must excuse the poor fellows and wait for them to be finally exposed to some intelligent cinema.

The film rolls on, and slowly and steadily, all preconceived notions shed one by one. Shan…what a brilliant actor we have and how little have we appreciated him, going gaga over the luscious lipped across-the-border variety instead. It does take a good film to bring out the best in an actor and we really don't want to see Shan dressed up as a Jat anymore!

Iman Ali surprises us with her believable deliverance as a British citizen. All one has to do is to compare her to Priety Zinta trying to pull off being a New Yorker in Kal Ho Na Ho or a British citizen in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. The difference shines brighter than Aishwarya Bachchan's wedding ring.

Fawad, a breath of fresh air. And all of our veteran PTV actors make us realize what we have and decided to ignore, forget. Thanks to a certain melodramatic saas who was also once a bahu.

Many scenes in the film touch your heart. Lots of people had tears in their eyes. And it is then that we are sadly reminded that we're not watching a film chronicling the sufferings of a bygone era. We're living it. Never is that reality more evident than when some fanatics damage property in a scene in the film and we fidget in our seats, looking around for anyone taking inspiration.

Hooting and whistling by those on the 'other' side of the gallery refused to die down throughout the film, being especially loud when Fawad's character promises to 'be a man' and have his way with his unwilling bride (finally some familiar ground, they must have thought). But when the girls in Afghanistan beg Iman's character to teach them English - total silence. It hit a nerve.

'Bandiya Ho'… what a beautiful song, thanks to Bulleh Shah's moving poetry! It seemed to sway and linger on in the cinema hall, touching hearts, tugging at their hardness, begging them to melt.

Khuda Kay Liye is an intelligent, thought-provoking film. More so than even Hollywood films, who do decide to make movies about the terrorism phenomenon, yet fail to properly understand the society and culture of the country they're filming. Lack of research is not something you can accuse Shoaib Mansoor of. Though he shows the high-handedness of the FBI, he also portrays the silent majority of America who rally for Shan's character's release.

A small segment of people do not like the film, because they disagree with its message. But we have to remember, a good film isn't one that everyone has to necessarily agree with. It is just the filmmaker's personal statement. What matters is how the statement is portrayed, the research, creativity and search for balance. If someone disagrees, they can spend their energies intelligently bringing forward their own views, instead of vandalizing property.

Even in the cinema hall, different people reacted to different parts of the film. Some clapped on the maulvi's strong statements, others on Naseeruddin Shah's monologue about music. But at the end of the day, we were all sitting in one hall, entitled to our own views, but not necessarily allowing them to divide us with blood.

Shan's character speaks of how his love for Usama had taken birth in his filthy little American cell. We pick up a newspaper of our very own city and see a man hold high a bone he picked up from the Lal Masjid rubble with hot tears and murder in her eyes. And we make the connection. Shoiab Mansoor does not only highlight the ills of a distorted, short-sighted version of Islam, but also the root causes that give life to it.

People picked intelligent references from the film. Maimoona, a young girl in her twenties said "I particularly liked the scene when Iman's character asked the village girl what she would do had she been in her situation. The girl replies: 'Run away, what else?' That showed to me that women throughout the world, whatever their background, caste or creed, have a bond, almost like a fraternity, and can relate to each other's problems."

Fahad Haroon, a 20-year-old student said, "I really think we should forward this film for an Oscar nomination. It's way better than the films India sends for Oscar nominations so why shouldn't we?"

Asad Munir, another student in his early twenties felt that the film should have carried subtitles for people who don't understand English.

Khuda Kay Liye really does surpass expectations and all those praises we've been hearing on our television screens are not empty words. So do go and watch it if you haven't already

 

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

wow. what a review that is. makes some excellent points. it's probably one of the two best reviews I've read of KKL.

thanks a lot for posting it, Suhaib.

 

[akpower]

TGK some good points you are raise there and I understand your frustrations. I do not see why people need to brand others as either of one side or another. I personally think most people's lifestyle and way of thinking is more on a happy medium between the two poles of ultra-liberalism and extremism.

In any case, I will watch the movie. It does look like a job well done and I just burned a disk of the soundtrack. All I hope is to not see an apologetic view, and I am quite sure I won't. Hopefully we can get it here in North America soon enough, before all the excitement dies.

By the way, TGK I don't say this often, but your presentation of arguments on most occasions (not all) is quite exceptional. I really like the way you argue your points.

 

[the Great Khan]

A small segment of people do not like the film, because they disagree with its message. But we have to remember, a good film isn't one that everyone has to necessarily agree with. It is just the filmmaker's personal statement. What matters is how the statement is portrayed, the research, creativity and search for balance. If someone disagrees, they can spend their energies intelligently bringing forward their own views, instead of vandalizing property.

sums up my current feeling's but i havent seen it yet so i may be wrong...although i dont think devout Muslims will enjoy this as much as the secular(s)...will i be proven wrong? ill write my own review when i watch this!!

 

[Kashif]

After the main producers of the film pulled out Shoaib was out of cash. I think it affected his budget for the music for the album. As you can see he went for low key artists except maybe Ahmed Jahanzeb.

One of the many shining elements of the film is the score soundtrack for the film. The sound recording, arrangement, sufi-fusion style is outstanding. My favourites are the full extended theme song, "reunuion" and "escape". You can check these pieces out at www.rohailhyatt.com. These will be released on a seperate score CD to be released with the DVD.

 

[the Great Khan]

thanks for the kind comments akpower, especially when you can get branded as a mullah terrorist just because you disagree with certain other messages!!...salaam..

 

[akpower]

I have read a bit of you TGK on the forums, and being a senior PPer I think I can say comfortably that you and even M.Tarar are assets to PP in your own way.

I am proud Muslim and Pakistani myself, an occasional writer, which is why I noted your writing style. I am at a loss of words sometimes when I write, I guess all of us are at some point, but such discussions help.

Good work guys, just don't be quick to brand each other with names. On most occasions, we do not know the other person enough.

Wa'salam..

 

[pakistani_banda]

just came back from the cinema, and watched khda kay liay. man i have to say an awesome movie and awesome acting by all the actors. kudos to the whole team of the movie. the story was excellent, and i loved the songs. i would love to watch the movie again, and i am proud to say that this is a pakistani movie. i hope that shoaib mansoor continues to make more movies like this.

 

[pakistani_banda]

My family is going to see the movie in the brand new DHA cinema in Lahore after about 2 weeks. They are telling me its very very difficult to get the tickets now.

i just saw the movie in teh new cinema. ya it is difficult to get the tiickets. the timings r from 12 pm to 9 pm for booking, and u have to book in advance as the movie is house full. we luckily got teh seat whhich were ok, but were too high, but that didnt dampen the effect. the movie was too good mashAllah to get spoiled by mere seating.

though the movie should have carried subtitles. not all people know english, and not all people know urdu, and not all people know pashto.

whenever something was said in english there was a girl who was translating for her family who were sitting behind me.

 

[Plasma]

man i really wana see it... I can't seem to dind is torrent...

 

[suhaib]

how much are the tickets at dha

 

[pakistani_banda]

how much are the tickets at dha

at dha lahore it was for Rs 250 each