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.

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.



Namak Mirch Aur Lutf

February 15, 2008 | Filed Under Point of View, Theatre & Movies, life's answers | 1 Comment 

I saw a play called Namak Mirch at Prithvi last night. It was delicious stuff. Light satire I would call it, something that makes you think about life and yet shows how it is really all funny.

Great performances  by the cast, I hope the troupe keeps performing. A few shows more and the crew will grow in chemistry thereby making it a totally outstanding play.

Post play, when I had a few minutes to myself, I began to think…

If I had the chance to live life again. Will I want to change anything about it?

My father studied Urdu as a child, something that I never did. But Urdu is very similar to Hindi and I realized that with a little bit of effort I could understand it. And so began my relationship with the language. I would read Urdu ghazals and short stories and would love how they would sound to the ears. The language has a rhytm of its own and it really is the language of love. If someone shouts or abuses in Urdu, it’s as sweet as an “How do you do?” (The way the English say it, without any real concern or expectation of an answer.)

I realize all that the English language has given me and understand how it has provided for my living and comfort. I do love it too and yet when I look at people who perform in Urdu, and how they make it seem so extraordinary, I can’t help but feel a little jealous. I could have been them, you know.

You would say, “it’s never too late to start.” But frankly I know I am someone else, a happy someone else maybe. But I think it would be interesting to go back in time, take to the language more keenly so today I wouldn’t be the person in the audience clapping in glee, but rather one on the stage performing. And may be I could write a few things of my own, fight for daily bread, wallow in penury… sigh!

I guess the circle of life has caught up with me, I have loans to pay.



let it be

January 20, 2008 | Filed Under Theatre & Movies, beatles | 1 Comment 

i saw a movie called across the universe. there were exactly 10 people in the auditorium. A couple sitting next to me, said “I am glad that I came for this movie”. They didn’t know about the movie.

I knew about the movie. And I saw the first show at an auditorium I love as soon as i realized it was playing.

You should watch it if:
- u love the beatles
- u love music
- u love someone (a dog or a cat even)

I have to make adjustments to my top 5 movies of all time, now that i have seen this movie. when the “let it be” song appears in the movie, i cry. (yes i will cry again when i see it again.) those who love giving me movies, should think about gifting me the dvd of this movie. or better still a divx version (big boy are you listening?)

people please go and see the movie, when a movie like this gets such a poor response my heart aches. it feels like there are only ppl in this world who see karan johar movies. if this continues, movies like these will stop coming to india and i will need to take up the profession of psychotic murderer. (hope i have scared you enough.)

do see the movie, am saying it nicely. just a request. see it before it disappears and i am guessing it will be this friday. i don’t see theatres keeping it on for more.



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