Khuda Kay Liye

April 17, 2008 | Filed Under Point of View, Theatre & Movies | 7 Comments 

Sometimes people make movies. The movies have a story, then there are the other dimensions - acting, art, editing, camerawork, sound etc. A movie is perfect when all these dimensions are near perfect. There are directors who master all these dimensions and then add their bits to it, these bits that over the years become their style or trademark. Kurosawa, Tarantino come to mind. Back home - Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Subhash Ghai, Ram Gopal Verma, Karan Johar…

While we may love some of them and hate some of them for various reasons, we can’t really say that they do a bad job of making a movie. More often than not the movies by these directors are technically sound.

Then, what makes the movie, good or bad? More often than not it is the story. ‘What is being told.’ I have realized that I can’t stand what Karan Johar is telling me, hence I almost never like his movies.

Khuda Kay Liye is a movie that is not technically perfect. There are editing mishaps, and it comes out as a movie that feels amateurish.

But it is a story that says something very important. And it’s a movie that I will hold very close to my heart. There are a few extraordinary moments in the movie. There’s one where Mansoor has newly joined the Chicago School of Music, and as an introduction he is playing his kind of music (Hindustani classical mostly), and as he is playing everyone begins to play and sing along. By everyone I mean students from all over the world. The effect is amazing and touching - and signifies how music unites the world.

After Sidd, one of my friends, saw the movie, he urged me to see it. And told me that while it might not mean anything to most people, it would mean something to me. I marvel at how well Sidd knows me :).

The movie does mean a lot to me personally. I am a Muslim, but as Altaf says, “I don’t wear religion on my sleeve.” I do go through phases where I offer prayers regularly and phases when I don’t. I have learned more about Islam through my mom, who comes from a Hindu family, than my dad, who is a muslim. I have learned more about it through trying to understand Gandhi than trying to understand Mohammed. This is probably a bold confession to make, but it is what it is. I also drink alchohol and may some day even eat pork. But no one has the right to question my faith other than God. “Yes, let’s take it up there,” will be my response. This is a stand that I have not developed overnight. It has been structured slowly and surely. After reading the Koran over and over. After reading the GIta. After perusing through the Bible.

The deal with religion is that everyone chooses to mould it in their own way. So have I. But I won’t preach. The movie highlights muslim clerics who instigate the youth by citing them religious scriptures (fyi - it is never the Koran). I find the fear of hell to be greater than the excitement of life amongst people and thus they are led to believing these clerics, who primarily preach baseless aspects. The movie also highlights one cleric, who is more progressive and who says that one needs to be muslim inside first than outside. Emulating the prophet is secondary, to follow what he believed in is primary.

I love how the movie highlights that everyone is wrong. And we should all bond by that fact. The only thing common between all of us is that we are all wrong and we should never assume that we are right because we will never know.

• The people who call themselves jehadi muslims are wrong. Because jehad is conquering one’s own ego not someone elses.
• The americans who say, “all terrorists are muslims” are wrong. There is an America that I love and there is small part that itself is terrorizing the world.
• The Indians who hate Pakistanis (and vice-versa) are wrong. You have had history, you were once lovers and you had a bad break up. But it’s past now, grow up.
• Hitler was wrong (most times). Gandhi was wrong (at least once)
• If you think you are right, you are most definitely wrong.

This will all be a paradox if I say, I am wrong. But that’s how our world has turned out to be.

I saw the movie at Pune. The auditorium wasn’t very big but it was full. I hope more people see it. The movie didn’t tell me anything I didn’t know but it will surely tell you a few things — particularly if you haven’t seen Islam from inside and outside, the way I have. The movie is dear to me, because it reassures my faith in the world.

One of my cousins has studied the religion formally. He knows the Koran by heart and he even understands the meaning in Arabic. We are about the same age and used to play together as kids. He leads prayers, sports the attire and wears a beard. He does not see TV and avoids photographs. I recently met him and joked with him. Took many pictures of his with my camera. When he complained, I told him that he is my friend first and then a maulana (priest). We are an interesting contrast, he hopes that I pray more often and I hope he sees things with his own eyes, make sense of them with his own mind and with simple common sense (which he does). I was reminded of him yesterday. I was also reminded of Gitika and how the world’s view on Islam disturbs her greatly. I can imagine her watching the movie and sobbing throughout.

See the movie if you haven’t.